


Branded Member X

by AEM888



Category: Beautiful - Monsta X (Music Video), Fighter - Monsta X (Music Video), Monsta X (Band), 걸어 | All in - Monsta X (Music Video)
Genre: F/M, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-10-23
Updated: 2017-11-09
Packaged: 2019-01-22 02:47:48
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 4
Words: 28,971
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12471748
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AEM888/pseuds/AEM888
Summary: They were just a group of boys who lived in a town suddenly run, and taken over by, the militia and harsh government.  They were just a group of boys who lived through harsh atmospheres, sickness, abuse and anger.  They were just a group of boys who wanted to live life to the fullest.  They were just a group of boys who made heavy, impacting choices.  They were just a group of boys addicted to the sweetness of a single blue flower.They were just a group of boys who met a girl.She was just a girl who couldn't disobey her father.  She was just a girl who was scared..  She was just a girl who ran into a rambunctious group of boys.  She was just a girl who was learning to smile. She was just a girl who was afraid of the world, but was protected by a group of boys.They were just a group of 8 who lived as they wanted.  They were just a group of 8 who banded together and loved each other.  They were just a group of 8 who drank the blue liquid, consumed the blue flower, painted with the multicolored paint and was addicted to making the pain stop, even if for a moment.She was just another member of their 'clan', she called them.  She was branded as their final member.She was Yi Eo-Jin





	1. Part I: Lost

**Author's Note:**

> Okay, time to lay down some facts about what I'ma be doing here
> 
> Well obvs., Monsta X. 'Nough said. BUT, I will be trying to do things based off of their MVs for The Clan and hopefully in order. 
> 
> I'd like to just say, don't come for me, but I will be keeping the hinted HyungHyuk in this story (Hyungwon and Minhyuk if you didn't know) and I'll also be playing by the fact Kihyun is seen with supports for his legs that he uses, or at least for the majority for Part I. 
> 
> This will be a story in which Wonho will be paired up with my character, or if you're reading this in the point of view as a Reader Insert (which is completely fine tbh), Wonho will be paired with the reader. 
> 
> I'm also not the best as giving everyone a fair shared amount of screen time and dialog, so be ready to see a lot from some people, and vise versa, but I will try my best.
> 
> So I WILL NOT be using honorifics.
> 
> I'll also probably call the members by their aliases, like Changkyun will be called I.M. for the most part and obviously Hoseok will be called Wonho. And of course with this set of MV's, there will be drugs, and violence with some abuse and what not, so just go in prepared y'all. 
> 
> EXPECT LONGER CHAPTERS

_Everything was blurred figures in the fog. They ran, under lumber, through mud, around trees. Breathing in smoke, the chilled air of the lack of sunlight, and the white pieces of debris and ash that floated against them, drifting in the wind. It stuck to their hair strands and to the sweat that rolled down their cheeks._

_Running. They had to keep running. If they didn't, they were at risk of being caught, being separated, or even being killed. Injuries to their bodies, scratched on their foreheads, split lips, swollen eyes, bruised noses stung as a reminder to keep running. The stinging of the wounds also reminded them of the anxiety of their escape; their constant need to turn back and make sure no one was following them._

_Their constant fear and hyper-focused minds caused them all to separate. A group of two young men, the youngest and the one who recently ditched crutches to use his own pair of legs. A group of four, the oldest men, the charismatic boy and the recognizable only woman._

_Siren's rang in the air as thunder rumbled. The small flashes of lightning shimmering in the smog and the thunder rolling like barrel drums. The groups met at an underpass where the last remaining two were held under._

_The white haired boy moved and the unconscious head of the taller one, calling out to him over the sirens and the sounds of violent approaching nature. The conscious one merely stayed that way, until the boy desperate to wake him, hinged his mouth and gently placed a small, blue flower onto his tongue._

_The mouth closed around the planet and as the group all gathered as one again, the boy's eyes slid open._

"Hey! If you're going to screw around, then don't leave me behind!"  A boy with shaggy, ash-brown hair with lofstrand crutches strapped on his arms called to his group of friends who were screwing around with each other. They all stopped and chuckled at the look on the young man's face as a couple of boys jumped down off the large drop down of a run down stone staircase.

The who jumped down were the oldest of the group of boys. Both muscular, draped in their loose, layered clothing. The slumped boy clicked his teeth and quickly raised one of his crutches and whacked the back of the blonde boy's thigh. She stumbled forward and held his head as the others looked and laughed at the two.

"What the hell man?" He seethed. The boy crouched and looked up to the man leaning back, a smug smirk on his face. The injured boy had his blonde hair parted on his right side as it was slightly disheveled from movement as well as the slight wind passing by homes and through alleyways.

His brown eyes glared up at his friend as his dark grey heavy short, cut off sleeved, shirt showed his arms as his tan pants hung off his waist. The sound of his key that hung on a long chest that rested on his chest sliding as he moved.

"Alright, enough fun Kihyun. Let's go." The other man that came down with the blonde looked down to the boy as he walked to the ledge and helped lift him up on the drop off. Wearing tighter fitting darker jeans with a black sleeveless shirt under his loose white one, the muscles in the oldest arms flexed as he lifted his friend, now addressed as Kihyun.

Kihyun was easily lifted and soon the rest were on their way again.

"Wonho, hurry up or you'll be left behind." The oldest called to the boy on the ground, too stubborn to get up just yet. He rolled his eyes as he pushed off the ground, speeding up to jump onto the top of the drop down.

"What a great leader." Wonho sarcastically shot at him as another boy, the youngest smirked and chuckled, wrapping an arm over his shoulder.

"Shownu's just dicking with you man." He chuckled as Wonho was about to playfully reply with some side comment about the whole thing when a white haired boy turned around, walking backwards, his hands behind his head.

"It's easy to pick on Wonho. Don't you know it's more fun to pick on those of handsome status?" He smirked as Wonho ducked out from under the younger boys arms and jogged to meet the white haired boy, flipping his hood over his head, obscuring his eyes.

"I'm both amused and annoyed with you, Lee Minhyuk." He let a laugh rumble in his chest as it intertwined with his words. Minhyuk reached up and flipped off his hood again.

White hair. Dark navy jacket rested under a tan vest and dark pants. That'd be the only way to simplistically explain the image of Minhyuk. He laughed as he looked at Wonho, then over his shoulder to the taller, lankiest member of their little group.

"Hyungwon agrees with me, don't you Hyungwon?" The tall over only smiled and shook his head, slightly covering his eyes. Minhyuk approached the boy and nudged his shoulder before they started speaking. Kihyun was speaking with Shownu while Wonho walked with his hands folded behind his head, whistling. Bringing up the rear was the two youngest members.

The youngest boy put his arm on the shoulder of the second.

"Yo, Jooheon, didn't you want to do something  in town?" The boy in the cap turned and looked at the boy. He did, but he never specified what he had to do, that is if you exclude Shownu. Shownu knew what his errands were, and so if the leader knew, the rest had nothing to really worry about. He nodded at him.

"I do." He looked ahead and called out to his friend. "Hey, Shownu." The all stopped, some complete, some mid-step and some turned their torso around or rotated their whole body. The boy next to him just swiveled his head.

"Why not come with me to town. We can bring Hyungwon too." He nodded towards the taller boy with his chin. Shownu had no reason to decline.

"Alright." He looked to the rest of his boys. "The rest of you can head to the underpass. Wait for us there. Hyungwon, let's go." He jutted his head in the direction of town as Jooheon approached the small group of three as well. The other four all started in the opposite direction until Jooheon called out again.

"I.M.'s in charge, you got it?" He joked as he scoffed, earning a sarcastic bow from the younger man, followed by him turning around and flipping him off over his shoulder. The other's laughed as they soon departed.

The group of three wandered about, not really having a destination. Jooheon's whole idea of 'going into town' was just him walking like an aimless raccoon until he found some people to mess with. Harmlessly of course.

This town was run down, in the dirt, poor and no where near the 'wannabe place to live'. The houses were small, or if they were larger, they'd have poor foundation or have a much too drafty breeze in a place or warmth, or lack thereof. The people were as rotten as the garbage that had been left outside to sink into the earth and cause harm to the air, the elders especially.

Another thing about this town that royally sucked was the sudden change of social status when the military came marching in. There they came, marching in of groups all hooked up with combat gear, boots, helmets, masks, vests and of course, the ever popular gun. They ran the town even more into the ground with their strict rules, guidelines and general unpleasant stench.

Needless to say, if the boys didn't like the town before, then they absolutely loathed it at this point.

There was also a strange vibe about this town, as it held nearly no female citizens. All the people who were of the gender were older and nit-picky it seemed. So in conclusion, the group of 7 boys lived in a run down town in South Korea with old cranky women, stuck up men of all ages and was run in by the fucking military. What a world, but even in a place like this, the still found their escape.

After a while of wandering and not finding anything fun to do, or anyone to mess with, the group of three ambled their way back to the underpass where they all spent most of their time together. Some children in other towns have clubhouses, or some have caves they find in the woods. Some even use classrooms in vacant school to gather in. These boys had an underpass.

It was nothing fancy, of course. Along the walls of the pass, were small chairs made of wood and some of the folding variety with the elastic supports. There was a large metal box they would stand, jump onto or sit on. Plain old rugs and cardboard boxes for drinks or snacks or even their shoes or shirts when they didn't feel like wearing them. They even had a metal, rusted barrel is they needed to burn anything or just toss something out. Not like they needed to add to the disgusting way of this town.

They were welcomed back with I.M. tossing a wooden stick at Hyungwon, who stepped out of the way for it to connect with the side of Jooheon. They laughed as the cap on his head was playfully pulled off and he picked up the stick and began to chase around I.M., who in turn ran from his pursuer. To anyone who wasn't familiar to the town, they'd just look like a normal band of boys, living out their youth.

However, looks can be deceiving. You never knew the secrets and the intentions of someone that dances like flames behind their eyes.

They were all sat down at the moment. Kihyun sat in a wood chair, his crutches resting on the ground beside him. Jooheon was hanging around, sitting on the rim of the rusted burn barrel. Shownu sat on the opposite wall of the two, along with Hyungwon and Minhyuk. While I.M. and Wonho sat beside each other on the large metal box.

The sounds of their chatter and laughter echoed against the hallowed concrete, but one laugh was cut short as Wonho stopped and stood on top of the metal box. Everyone soon grew quiet as he looked out down the street, everyone's gaze following his. A group of military men, of 3 it seemed, were booking it up the hill. They seemed to have their sight set on something, and whatever it was, it was trying it's damnedest to not get caught.

"What's with the pack of rats?" Jooheon leaned as he held onto the rip of the barrel and tilting his neck. Wonho hopped off the metal container and walked to the opened of the overpass to the street, leaning one arm on the wall. He shook his head and huffed, his voice breathy.

"Beats me." He went to turn away when from behind and around the wall of the outside, something came running by, or rather someone. They halted almost immediately, thinking they'd been caught, but their sights were on a group of boys instead.

"Woah...." Shownu quickly picked himself off the ground as they all made eye contact with the person who just stumbled upon them. MInhyuk piped up in the back with a small whisper, but with the echo, it was easily heard.

"Dude, it's a girl...." It was indeed, which shocked them all to different degrees. Jooheon was still processing things, Kihyun just stared from his seat, Hyungwon didn't looked to indifferent and Minhyuk was easy to adapt as he just chuckled and elbows Hyungwon beside him. I.M. still didn't change his facial expression from before, which held really nothing and Shownu was walking to Wonho, who was having a staring contest with the girl.

The girl had long, straight brown hair. Split ends as it fell to her mid-back and straight bangs that covered her brows and slightly grazed her nearly coffee colored eyes. She wore a clearly over-sized almond sweater that covered her hands and rested on the edges of her shoulders where the straps of her bra were visible; as well as a loose black choker around her neck. A pair of acid washed jeans with the legs cut sloppily into shorts that just peeked under her sweater and a worn out pair of grey boots.

"Wonho." Shownu placed his hand on the younger's shoulder and he backed up a bit as did the girl, almost mirroring him.

"Uh...-" Wonho had barely opened his mouth when the girl held out her hand, her palm towards him. She moved quick enough to make the two boys flinch slightly.

"Don't. Just stop there. I was never-" She didn't speak again, instead she flinched as she fell forwards. Dropping to knees, then tumbling to her side, Wonho acted quickly to try and help her when he was stopped by a solid, foreign command.

"Leave the girl." Looking up from the girl's collapsed form was a the group of militiamen, the one in front drawn with a taser, the wires and end of it effectively lodged into the girl's back. The man got closer to her and soon pulled the end out of her back before he placed the electric current with his knee, keeping her down. He put the gun away as he grabbed her arms and pulled them behind her.

They then flipped her on her back before the other two men worked on trying to keep Wonho and Shownu to back off. This caused Jooheon to hop off the barrel and strut over there. He draped his arms over the shoulders of both Wonho and Shownu as he stood in the center of them. They all stared at each other, none backing off, and Jooheon giving the occasional smirk and huffed with Wonho clicking his tongue or twitching his head.

The groan from the girl brought Wonho's attention as he peaked through the break of the two men's shoulders and watched as the remaining man pulled the girl up by her hair, then latched his hand around her up, yanking her to stand up.

"Move it." He shoved her forward as she turned around, hands behind her; he must've bound them while he held her to the ground. She glared to him.

"Don't rush me." She seethed back at him, making him shove her the back of her head forward as she stumbled. She clicked her tongue as she called for the other two men and soon, with enough shoving or taunting, they left with the girl who was bound and seemed to have quite the attitude.

"So, anyone know what that was about?" Kihyun lifted his head and looked around to his fellow friends. Minhyuk only shrugged, while others shook their head or just looked baffled at the scene that just unfolded.

Hyungwon felt almost sympathetic towards the girl, knowing the kind of pain she must've been in. He almost admired her ability to shoot back remarks or still show her own form of resistance. The taller man almost felt he might learn something from her in that fashion.

"Something definitely up." Jooheon piped up. They all knew it. When had they seen a girl that young, and frankly good looking, in their town? "It was super quiet in town today too. You think that's part of it?"

"I bet she just came with the new group of black-covered tyrants I heard about." I.M. spoke from the back. He had told then about how he overheard a conversation of more military men and even some businessmen who had nothing to loose and were willing to work and conspire with the little shitstains.

"I say we check her out." Every turned towards Minhyuk who spoke. "What? She clearly doesn't like the type of guy who would taze her, but perhaps she would like a guy who offered her a flower?" He smirked by the end of his sentence. They all rolled their eyes. Leave it to him to immediately invite someone to their little gathers.

"I'll look into her. See what I can dig up." Wonho offered to go and work his rounds. He was the sneakiest of the group, and he had the charm and looks that if someone didn't really know who he was, or what his personality was like, he could talk his way out of a situation. He even knew the basics of how to fake something, say he was in the wrong place at the wrong time, he'd find a way out.

"Bro, if you get to talk to her. Get her to come out tonight!" Wonho rolled his eyes at Minhyuk, it was obviously he was dead set on getting her out with them. He supposed though, it wouldn't be so hard to ask if he had the chance. After all, something about her almost interested him.

Wonho managed to follow the road where they left with the girl and soon ended up walking several feet behind them, hiding behind walls, trees, in bushes and even climbing so he wouldn't be seen, but he could see anything and everything. The downside was if they were speaking, he couldn't hear, and he was too far away to even try to read someone's lips. After what felt like ages to an impatient boy, but was really only around 8 minutes, he hid behind a large barrel and looked around the edge of it.

The girl's little party had stopped and she was shoved to the front of a small house. The door slid open and something was thrown at her. It wasn't anything big, but it seemed to annoy her more than anything. However, unlike at the overpass, her kept her gaze down and her mouth shut tightly.

An older man stepped out of the house and raised his voice, motioning his hands around her, yet not making contact with her. The men who escorted her to the building sliced the rope that bound her wrists as they slunk back to her sides. The man who shouted at her grabbed her bicep and pulled her to him before moving and pushing her inside.

Wonho's teeth clenched as he opened and closed his fist. Sure, he wasn't the most well mannered boy in town, but even he knew how to treat a decent human being, much less a girl. That sure as hell wasn't it.

The man seemed to talk to the three others for a moment before they all walked off. Once the man went back inside and the three mili-tards were gone, he got closer to the place where the girl once stood. On the ground was a small, off-white, stained rice paddle. That was the object that was thrown at her. He picked it up as he crept to a window on the side of the house, squeezing in the alley of the house and the one next to it.

He couldn't hear much. It was all too muffled. He only picked up bits and pieces. The man was apparently her father who was working as a contractor in the town for a certain set time and was escorted and followed by the military after offering them something as compensation for his protection. The blonde rolled his eyes.

"Fucking old men...." He muttered through his teeth as he soon decided that if he were to stay too much longer, he may be found. He crept out of the alley ways and bolted back up the street. He fiddled with the rice paddle he kept in his hands, tossing it back and forth before coming back to the underpass.

"Ah, he returns." Kihyun sung out. He was standing with one of his crutches as he leaned against it and the wall. He raised his fist, the outside of it towards the blonde as Wonho greeted him. The sides of their curled hands meeting briefly before backing off and dropping their hands.

"Find anything out?" Shownu asked as he came into the cover of the concrete walls.

"Yeah, and what's with the paddle? Is that for rice? What, you get hungry?" Wonho quickly snapped his wrist and threw the paddle at the white haired boy who ducked in time for it to bounce off of Hyungwon's head, causing Minhyuk to gasp and lightly laugh as the taller male took it and gripped it firmly before slamming it on the back of his head.

"Anyways." Shownu looked back to Wonho who slumped himself on the ground, legs extended in front of him with his ankles crossed. He supported himself as he leaned back on his palms.

"Nothing much to note." He relayed the scene he watched unfold and told them about the house and the shouting he managed to hear before he decided to duck out. They were all quiet, invested in their curiosities about the new girl.

"Why not invite her out?" Hyungwon spoke up.

"You think we should?" I.M. looked to the dark haired boy then to Shownu.

"My mind hasn't changed. I say we do it." Minhyuk placed his hands behind his head as he moved to lay his body down on the ground. His hands acting as a pillow to this head.

Jooheon moved to the center of the group and spun around before pulling off his head and pulling a small green stem with small bead of blue at the ends of it. He dramatically showed it to the others, earning chuckles from them and then pranced to place it in the palm of their leader.

"The decision is yours, our oh so strong leader." He mockingly bowed to Shownu as he playfully pushed his head away, making him chuckle as he stumbled. He held the stem in between his thumb and forefinger, twirling as he seemed to think.

"Petals, we bring her. Stem, we don't." The boys all smirked. They did this occasionally. They'd take the plant and toss it. Whichever end hit the ground first would make their decision. It was like their version of a coin toss.

"I'm betting petals!" Minhyuk latched himself onto Hyungwon's neck as he shouted.

"I'll place stem." Kihyun. Ever the pessimist.

The petal team consisted of Minhyuk, Hyungwon and Wonho. The opposers being I.M., Kihyun and Jooheon. Shownu was the leader, so he really had no reason to bet. He'd pick the opposite answer if he really wanted to.

"Right then. 2,3." He tossed the plant into the air and watched as it fell back down. Once it hit the ground, Minhyuk jumped up, shouting as Hyungwon laughed and Wonho did a little dance of his own. I.M. leaned back and let out a breathy laugh as Kihyun smiled and Jooheon took his hat and spun it around his finger.

"Well, Wonho, take Minhyuk with you later. He'll want to go, trust me." Shownu smirked as they all had a new excitement in their stomachs. For the flower had landed petals first.

Night quickly came for the group of boys as most of them had headed out to the outskirts of town while Minhyuk and Wonho headed into town to try and acquire a certain girl. They had changed into black clothing now, the tops undone just enough to show their chest.

"Now, you'll need to keep that loud trap of your shut, understand." Wonho sternly told Minhyuk of his biggest asset, being his mouth, that would be a big problem if he were to just sit it off as he tended to do.

"I know, I know. Sheesh." He brushed off the older boys warning as he sighed. Wonho quickly tapped on the younger one's arm as he pointed at the house he saw earlier.

"There, that one. Follow me." Wonho started jogging ahead of the white haired boy and slid into the same alley as earlier on. He peeked in windows until he stopped at one window where he could see the girl. She was laying on her back, staring up at the ceiling as she did nothing. She was in a small room that seemed to he her own. Wonho raised his fist and rapped the back of his knuckled on the glass of the window in three rapid beats.

The girl, not very shaken, just turned her head to the window to see Wonho out it as he raised his brows to her, motioning to the window. She then saw Minhyuk peak his head in as Wonho tried to push him out of the way. The girl chuckled with an eye-roll and rolled to her stomach and crawled off the floor to open the window, letting the chilled air of the night roll into her room.

"To what do I owe the pleasure boys." The window wasn't high and the house wasn't set on an elevated foundation either, so the window seal only started at her chest. She was basically face to face with the two. Wonho moved to reach into his back pocket, moving his shirt out of the way to pull something out of it.

"Well first off," he held the rice paddle in front of her face, "you seemed to have dropped this." He smirked as the girl sarcastically took the paddle.

"Whatever would I have down without the rice paddle. I was doomed." She waved the paddle around before tossing it back into her room, hearing it land somewhere, but not sure where. "I'm like, 98% sure you didn't bring your friend all the way here just to return a stupid paddle."

"Ah, clever girl." Wonho retorted as Minhyuk got impatient.

"You wanna come with us somewhere?" Wonho sighed as he cradled his face in his hands. So much for a steady approach. Minhyuk had a history of being a bit eager or too forward.

"By 'us', you mean you," she pointed to Minhyuk, "him," then to Wonho, "and I'm assuming the rest of your little clan of boys I saw earlier today?" Wonho chuckled a bit.

"Clan she says." He muttered to himself, earning a glare from her as Minhyuk spoke back to her, his eyes practically gleaming.

"Yeah! Do you like flowers?" She blinked at his sudden question, wondering if he was A.D.H.D. or something, or if he just changed the topic of conversation.

"I assume I do, as much as the next girl I guess." She leaned against the window pane as Wonho reached into the inside of his shirt, showing off a bit more of his chest and pulled out a small steam with blue flower buds on the end, the same one they used to make this decision.

"This is what we're talking about." He offered it to her. "This is the reason we decided to pop on by. Take it. Think of it as a memento of our meeting pretty lady~" She rolled her eyes as Minhyuk dramatized gagging sounds. She took the flower as she held it to her face and then took in the scene as she placed it under her nose. It had such a strange, unique scent. She turned and placed the flower on a shelf of her room before turning back to the window.

"I suppose I could clear up my evening. What's the special requirements for my arrival boys." She smirked as Wonho answered her, pulling on the edges of his open shirt.

"Well, you'll want to put something dark on. You got anything?"

"Of course." She stepped back and closed the curtains, making the two both chuckle.

"What, no show?"

"You gave me a weed on a stem. That's not quite enough leeway for a peepshow boys." It was a few minutes of listening to her putter around her room, open and close drawers, slide hangers around and the shifting of cloth. The two boys who were occupying themselves with a game of rock, paper, scissors were startled when she ripped open the curtains, showing her wearing a loose, cute off shirt that showed her stomach and black jeans.

"This work?"

"Definitely." Wonho nodded to her.

"Alright, one more thing to do. Give me a minute." She turned from the window and moved to her door, peeking her head out of it. She seemed to be writing something on her door before she shut it and locked it, as well as jammed something under it just for safety.

She grabbed a black cover up before she went to the window and threw it out. Minhyuk jumped to catch it before it hit the ground, earning a chuckle from the girl. She made sure the window was open as much as it could be before folding her body and slinging on leg out of the house followed by an arm and ducking down to lean half her body out.

"Oh, careful." Wonho grabbed her back and arm as she eased the rest of her body out. Pulling out her arm and slinging out her leg only to be firm on the ground. "Easy." Wonho commented as he bent down and picked up a rock and placed it in her hand.

"Put that under your window and shut it. It won't lock, but with the size, it won't seem open and you can get back in." She jutted out her lip and nodded in understanding before she turned and did what she was told. Minhyuk then quickly wrapped the cover up over her shoulders before they led her out of the alley.

"Try to keep up, if we want to get out undetected, running is our best bet." Wonho hopped a bit before he took off running ahead. Minhyuk behind him and the girl following behind until they were out of the streets and soon they led her to a small greenhouse.

Minhyuk gestured her to enter first, she is a lady after all. She slowly pushed open the plastic covered doorway only to be met with a group of 5, all staring at her with each pair on her body. They all wore black, somehow showing part of their chest and all around them, or rather filling the entire room, was the color blue.

Blue flowers and vases and bottles of blue liquid sat around them. They had a small little lamp in the center of the incomplete circle they had formed that they had uncapped and used the flame to hit a small bowel of the liquid, heating it. Steam covered the place, but more stronger than anything was the scent wafting around.

It was infectious. The scent was so sweet and it seemed to almost instantly calm her, or make her feel at ease. Anyone else in her position would probably be concerned, or book it out of there as fast as she got here, but she had nothing to loose anymore.

She felt the two boys come in behind her, Minhyuk placing his hand on her shoulders.

"We got her!" He cheered as he then moved to plop down beside Hyungwon. He fits bumped a few others as well as Wonho took her shoulder and guided her to sit down. He moved to sit where he usually did, beside Shownu and Jooheon who acted like the ace 'priest' on these nights. Shownu shifted over slightly and made room for the girl to sit beside him and his second oldest member.

"Well, I guess you should introduce yourself." Wonho started as he leaned back on his palms. "We still don't know your name after all." The girl crossed her legs and placed her hands on the ground between the opening her legs made.

"I'm Jin. Full name, Yi Eo-Jin. I got dragged here with my shithole dad who complies and acts like the military's lapdog, annnnd I have no friends which makes life pretty dull."

"How colorful you are." Kihyun smiled at her, earning him a chuckled from the girl.

"As colorful as a grey-scale. Might as well be blind." Jin chuckled along with Kihyun as the boys introduced their names, starting with Wonho and going around.

Wonho, Shownu, Hyungwon, Minhyuk, Kihyun, I.M. and finally the standing man, Jooheon.

"You guys really are like a little clan in this dingy old town." She laughed as they all chuckled with her. Jooheon, who was waving his hands around plucked a small little empty bottle from his pocket and pulled the cork from it.

He dipped it in the warming liquid that held a solid shade of cerulean and pulled it when it was nearly ¾ of the way full. He then gracefully offered it to Jin.

"You're official 'Clan' badge milady~" She took the bottle and held it up to her eyes, watching the beautiful blue swirl around in the bottle. She looked over her shoulder to the boys looking at her and then finally to Wonho. He gave a smile and a shrug, urging her to go on and drink it. She smiled as she lowered the bottle, bringing the top to her lips, parting them ever so slightly.

"Let's go." Jin quickly dipped her head back, the liquid flowing from the opening at the top of the bottle, coating her lips before sliding on her tongue and down her throat. It didn't burn like she was almost expecting, nor was it bitter. It was surprisingly sweet and it soothed her throat as she drank it.

The boys were hollering, some cupping their mouths for a louder effect, some clapping while Jooheon presented them all with different bowls of colorful paint. Jin had placed the bottle down at her side as Shownu patted her back proud, almost a father, if her father wasn't such a stick.

The boys began to take the bowls, dipping their fingers into the paint and then running their digits over the faces of the others. Lines of yellow, blue, green, purple, red and pink all mixed together as they painted each other. On their cheeks, their foreheads, nose, chin even on their chest and necks.

They each chose their own choice of the 6 colors and each added a line or symbol or just simple dot on Jin's face. The final thing that was added was a red line, coating her right cheek from Wonho's thumb.

"May the night never grow old. Let's go all in~"

Laughter echoed in the greenhouse as the group of 8 seemingly worshiped the flower that gave them some form of salvation.

To others during the day, they just seem like the group of kids who are wasting away their youth. But, behind that facade is them. Worshiping and relying on the color of royal blue.

"To us. The 'X' Clan."

Wonho lifted a small bottle of liquid as Jooheon passed around the bowl of the liquid. They all drank to into their own salvation that night. Until that night had to end. Wonho carried Jin home on his back, she not use to all the excitement as well as not being exposed to the blue flowers they held so dear, she was worn out.

They walked back silently, the night still strong as he walked into the alley and set her down, she leaning against the wall as he opened her window for her. He gestured for her to climb on it.

"Home sweet home, little Jin." She rolled her eyes.

"If this place is anything, it definitely isn't 'sweet'." She walked to her window and was ready to pull herself up and she turned to Wonho, who had tossed the rock she had used not too far from where he stood.

Part of her wondered if she'd get to see the boys during the day. She knew how her father was, and she knew the sneaky ways of the boys to an extent after only one night. She truly believed she found friends, a ragtag group of 7 boys who accepted her more than she accepted herself. Wonho noticed her gaze, and could easily read her. He placed a hand on her head and brought his forehead to press against her own.

"I'll come get you tomorrow before I go to the overpass. You can hang with us, as long as you don't get caught," he motioned to your window. "Or get into more trouble." Why did he feel so attached to this girl all of a sudden. He was never one for attachments, or the ones he had, he'd make over the course of several months, but her, it only took a mere few hours, a chance encounter and a night of face paint and flowers for him to practically be drunk on her.

"I'll be careful." She laughed at him as he released her head and watched as she pulled herself up to her window pane, and leaned in enough for her to pull her legs in and roll onto her back without making much noise. She sat up and grabbed the window, ready to pull it down as she looked at Wonho.

"Night Ho." He rolled his eyes and scoffed, pointing to her. A nickname and an insult.

"Clever girl." She moved her brows and ran her tongue over her lips as she smirked. Then the window was shut, Wonho left and all was quiet, until the next morning came and the sun rose again.  


	2. Chapter 2

The day started, much like any other day for everyday folk. Some would do chores outside, plucking weeds, washing and hanging clothes out to dry in the sun, hoping dust carried by the wind wouldn't cling to them too drastically. A group of two older gentle men had a small stand set up with different styles of footwear, presumably ready to make a few bucks by selling them.

They sat there, hoping their small, desolate town would bring up a few potential customers. Different sized boots, shoes, sandals in all kinds flooded the table top. With laces, without laces, fur on the inside, wore out, replenished, torn, holey are just a few way to describe the  _diverse_ collection.

They sat quietly, silent even until a group of three militia men approached the table. The men stood, trying to persuade them into leaving, not wanting to start trouble or cause a scene. The black clad bullies pushed around the footwear on the table with the nozzles of their guns. They clearly didn't want them to do doing what they were doing, absolutely nothing but sitting politely, selling shoes.

"Ooooh, I see, I see. Trouble with bullies?" A voice sang from around them as the group of 5 turned to see yet another group of three, however these were just local boys. Jooheon placed his hand over his brow as it scouting a location and strutted over to the group, Shownu and Hyungwon behind him.

Jooheon pushed one militiaman out his way, talking to the two sellers and pointing to a worn pair of shoes, nodded and complimenting them on the attempt of restoration of them. He then turned and acted as if he just noticed the black clad man he shoved aside; rather dramatically so.

Shownu had moved a man out of the way as well, grabbing his shoulder and turning his torso to mockingly point a finger gun at the clear face-shield of his helmet, moving his thumb up and down as if pulling a trigger. He then turned and took a seat on the edge of the display table, almost blocking the military from one portion of the table.

Jooheon continued his display as he grabbed the end of one of the guns and moved it to point at different locations on his forehead. Almost testing the men, mocking them that they wouldn't pull the trigger on an innocent trouble making kid.

Hyungwon, on the other hand. Had circled around the table and eyes the shoes and the military as he strolled up to one of them and placed a small, blue flower in his breast pocket of his heavy uniform. He smiled in a provoking manner at it before he patted the man's chest, stepping away the view his work.

The poor businessmen took advantage of the trouble-making boys and in their disruption, grabbed their merchandise and fled, leaving just the three boys and the three militiamen. Jooheon then shrugged.

"Ahh, seemed like they left." He faked disappointment as he tossed the gun point away from himself, feeling the arm of the man wielding it stiffen at the movement. Shownu pat his thighs before he lifted himself up and began to follow after Jooheon. Hyungwon only mockingly waved at the men as he strutted off and the trio were gone.

Once out of sight and earshot they began to jokingly make fun of the black clothed men and laugh as they discussed how they acted. Just another morning for them as they started heading towards the overpass, _their_  overpass.

While the rambunctious trio taunted the military, a solitary boy strode towards a certain house, a bit of a hop in his step. Wonho ruffled his fingers through his blonde bangs as he then stuck his hands in his pockets, walking a pace faster than normal heading to pick up the newest addition to their little ragtag group of guys.

He got closer to the home when he decided that it'd be best for him not to approach like he was going to I.M.s or Kihyun's place. For all he knew, her father still hadn't been aware she even had friends yet, let alone finding out it was with them of all people. He decided to change and slip into the alley between houses again and peek into her window.

He moved slowly, making sure that if someone was to be in the room, they wouldn't see him. He didn't know how her home worked. Her father could be in the room for all he knew, and he took this approach for the soul reason of avoid that problem. He knew that he wouldn't like her father already, so if he were ever to face him in a situation as private as him peeking in his daughter's window, he'd more than likely start a fight.

Looking in, the curtains were slightly drawn, but hardly enough to obscure the inside view of the room, one that Wonho wasn't expecting to see. It was in the extreme back of his head that this would be the scenario he'd come to introduce himself to.

Jin was in her room, door still shut but it seemed that she had unjammed it and the lock was undone. Her back was too the window as her black clothes she had worn the previous night for those few solitary, bliss filled hours were folded and placed on her shelf, almost acting like if she ever needed to grab them quickly, she wouldn't have to dig through drawers.

Truth be told, she was currently in the midst of changing her clothes. She wore her shorts as she pulled them over her thighs, straightening them out and closing them up in the front. They rode up her waist as she tugged them down a bit, to rest just under her navel. Her legs didn't have her boots or socks on as she latched a loose fitting bra around her breast and turned to walk to her sweater that was thrown randomly on her floor.

She pulled the large woolen piece of clothing over her head, sticking her arms through the sleeves and pulling it to cover her neck, chest, stomach and even most of her hips. She grabbed her tangled, mess of long brunette strands of hair before flipping it of their trapped position between her and the back of the sweater. She walked out of the room for a moment, letting Wonho let out a breath before moving out of the way of the window.

He decided he wouldn't tell her about his little show, as she denied his joke about watching her chance last night. This was simply her karma, one that he would openly accept without question. He wouldn't question the fact she was quite the looker and had a body one wouldn't sneeze at, but even he saw the faded bruises and discoloration on her sides.

His ears picked up her coming back into her room as he moved to let his gaze travel in again. Her hair was now effectively tamed as he decided to finally knock on her window.

Jin slightly jumped at the sudden and unexpected noise of something being hit against her window repetitively. She looked and saw a smirking Wonho, raising his hand in a solid greeting. She went to, and opened, the window for him, it was then he noticed the glasses resting on the tip of her nose.

"Morning, Miss Genetic Defeater." He chuckled as she moved her eyes to look at the rim of her specs before her gave him a look that wrote how done she was with the situation before pulling the window back down. He acted quickly, letting out a small yelp and catching the frame before it closed, and forcing it back up. Good to know he was stronger than the girl.

"Now, now. Don't shut me out." He chuckled as she forgot the issues of the window and crossed her arms.

"The first thing to do is insult me. I have every right to shut you out." He smirked.

"Who said it was an insult?" She dropped her hands and gagged at his greasy comment, earning him a chuckle. She stepped away from her window to grab a pair of socks and her boots, sliding them over her feet.

"Can you get out?" Wonho asked if she'd be able to get out of the house soon. She nodded to him, her specs moving slightly.

"Of course. Just, wait out by the next house over. Don't make it too obviously you're waiting for me." He clicked his tongue as he winked to her.

"You got it." She rolled her eyes as she walked to her door and he pushed off the window, they both going opposite ways.

Wonho stepped out of the alley and placed his back against the wall of a neighboring house, fiddling with his long necklace that rested on his chest. He stared off to nowhere and kept his face blank as if he was just there to be there and had no intention at all. If the occasional person would pass by, if they showed him greetings, he'd show one back, but mainly he just ignored most.

He groaned as he stretched when he saw Jin step out of her house and close the door behind her and quickly catch sight of the blonde. She jogged over to him as he stood and began leading her off. Unbeknownst to the two of them, a pair of beady eyes watched as the girl walked off with the lad.

They chatted off and on, the occasional joke or rude comment until they were greeted back with 6 boys as she worked her way into all their hearts. I.M. raised his hand to her, speaking and greeting her first.

"Hey girl." It was simple, and basically everyone wanted to say the same thing to her. She greeted them as Wonho dramatically offered her a seat next to him and Jooheon on the elegant metal box of whatchamacallits. She happily hopped on and crossed her ankles.

They all spoke, and joked with each other. Minhyuk and Jooheon even someone managed to get themselves and some of the others dancing to a beat Hyungwon and Shownu managed with sticks, hitting them on the walls and the ground, making different echoes. In an attempt to be charming, Jooheon even lifted his hat off his head and placed it on Jin's.

They all settled down a bit, out of breath from the activities and were all say down on the two sides of the middle tunnel. Jooheon had moved to sit on the edge of the metallic rusted barrel once more and stood as he noticed, just like yesterday, people coming towards them. One of them, he recognized.

The men seemed to be medically trained men who worked in welfare and healthcare, except for one, who wore a belt around his waist with tools. There were five of them in total. When they stopped at the opening to the pass, Wonho and Shownu both stood. Shownu recognized the face of Hyungwon's father and Wonho was the only one to know Jin's father's face.

Jin quickly stood as she grabbed Wonho's arm, almost hiding behind him as Hyungwon stood as his father approached him. The boy received a harsh slap to his cheek as his father struck him. He ran his tongue over his lip as he felt the stinging spread from his cheek and soon it began to glow a faint red.

"Jin." The harsh voice of her father made her shrink slightly as Wonho looked at her. She gently let go of of him and walked to her father, stopping a fair distance from him that he closed as he grabbed a fistful of her hair, knocking Jooheon's hat, that still rested on her head, off.. The boys all flinched, physically holding themselves back from attacking the man, I.M. sticking his arm in front of Wonho who was closer than anyone to do something.

"Deliberately disobeying me." He tugged on her head, forcing her down as she bit her lip, her nails gripping and digging into her overflowing sleeves. "As a little outsider," he motioned to herself, "how does it feel to be see the human race." He motioned to the boys, harshly speaking in low tones to her. He then whispered something to her, which made her body shiver before he let his fingers release her hair, Hyungwon who stood beside her now, moving to help her stand straight.

He was cut short when his father grabbed his shoulder, making him walk forward and out of the underpass. Jin wasn't far behind as he father shoved her after them, taking them back into town without a word. They were both more than likely on their way home now. It was barely noon, but their once good morning, now turned into something blood boiling.

Minhyuk stared after Hyungwon, worried written on his face as Wonho paced and rammed his fist into the concrete fall out of frustration. Jooheon picked up his hat and looked towards Shownu who in turned nodded to him. They pushed themselves out from the pass and down the streets, urgently moving to where, no one knew. Kihyun just sat, his hands in his hair as he felt useless because of his god damn legs. I.M. was finally getting around to finally processing what just happened and tried to calm Wonho down, who was still pacing and fidgeting with rage seething from his pores.

The youngest also had a few ideas on how to get back at the men. His thoughts were on fire, and so he decided to share his little ideas with the remained boys. Minhyuk, Wonho and Kihyun all wondering what's on his mind.

That same night, Wonho had traveled to Jin's window again, hoping to catch her and bring her back to the greenhouse again. He didn't want the day to end and for tomorrow to come without seeing her smile at least one more time. He knew that Minhyuk would be able to pull Hyungwon out of his house, so Jin was his priority.

He also knew that there'd be a chance that if he tapped on the window, her father would look out it. Wonho pegged him for a man who doesn't believe in privacy. Standing in front of the familiar glass, the curtains drawn, he pulled a small blue flower from his pocket and set it on the outside pane before he knocked.

Once his knuckles hit the window, he ran and moved to hid behind he trunk of a tree as his black clothing allowed him to be nearly invisible unless one looked hard enough. The curtains were opened as he saw Jin peaking outside. Not seeing anyone, she looked down and saw the blue flower.

She quickly unlatched the lock of the glass, opened her window and grabbed the green stem, looking around.

"Wonho?" She whispered out into the air, careful not to alter anyone and to see if he was truly there. He smiled to himself as he stepped out from hiding. He then noticed she had already changed into her black clothes herself.

"You called?" He smirked to her as she let out a breath and was quick to climb out the window and place her feet on the ground and dramatically falling onto Wonho's chest she groaned.

"I was hoping you'd come pick me up." He chuckled as he held her shoulders, resting his chin on her head. He closed his eyes slightly as he was relieved nothing had changed. He could feel her fear earlier and it stuck with him all day, making him severely uneasy and jittery.

"Of course. I couldn't let a lady walk alone at night, that would be just too ungentlemanly." She scoffed and rolled her eyes as she pushed away from him and placed another rock under her window as she pulled it down. She then turned to Wonho and smiled at him, him finally smiling back.

"Shall we?" He dramatically placed one hand behind his back and offered her the other, even bowing slightly to her. She just as dramatically, gave him her hand as they ran out of the alley and into the woods, until they got to the house of blue and she was once again greeted with those warm, beautiful smiles of the boys.  _Her_ boys.

She sat as the fire from the lamp and the fumes filled her senses and the smiles on everyone's faces were strong, even Hyungwon was happy again. Paint was once again painted on their faces as they all leaned against each others, grabbed others hands or placing their foreheads with someone else's.

Amidst the playful banter and chatter, Kihyun had taken small stems of the flowers and wove them around, under over and behind, tucking them into one another in a circular pattern until he had woven a beautiful, blue flower crown. He nudged I.M. to hand to Jooheon.

The youngest happily took the crown, handing it to the chatter box that is Jooheon before he gently placed it on Jin's head. They all clapped as they laughed.

"The queen of a clan deserves the fittest of all crowns, don't you think?" Kihyun spoke up as to why he wove the decorative piece as everyone agreed rather easily. In the situation at hand, and the group in which Jin was involved in so deeply and wholeheartedly now, it's safe to say she is the flower amongst these men.

And just like before, the night ended, Wonho taking Jin home before the night drew on and the sun soon began to peek up over the horizon. Another day, another hour, another breath.

The boys had all headed to the overpass, as they all sat waiting for more to arrive. Wonho hadn't gone to pick up Jin today, as she knew the way now and was in no need of an escort, so states herself. So he and the rest all waited.

Time passed and soon it was nearly 10 and both Jin and Hyungwon had yet to show up. They hadn't been seen by the others as the arrived and they haven't shown up to their meeting place. Shownu even went so far as to check to see if they were holed up at the greenhouse, but came back yielding no results.

"Should we send someone to get them?" Kihyun looked at each of the boys as he spoke. Wonho stood as he moved his neck around, stiff.

"I'll grab Jin." Minhyuk had already started out.

"I'm ghost." He left, everyone had already known he'd be the first to go pull Hyungwon out of his house, or at least wander there to see why he hadn't shown up today. Jooheon hoped up at the exit of two of his friends, clasping his hands behind his head.

"Shownu. The stuff you asked for, shipment is here." Shownu looked up from fiddling with his fingers at the statement as he walked forwards, in front of Jooheon.

"Meet me in an hour." At that, both had left; only I.M. and Kihyun were left. It was at this point, Kihyun grabbed his crutches and left without a word, leaving I.M. to sit against the wall by myself. He leaned the back of his head until he felt the concrete connect with him as he closed his eyes and huffed.

All he wished was that they would all be happy like they are at night. He just wanted everything to be better, everyone to smile. He wanted happiness.

Minhyuk had stepped into Hyungwon's home, moving to sit in a room adjacent to his own. It was rather empty, an unplugged box television sat in the corner with scatter paper and books littered on the ground. The white haired boy sat in front of the taller man, who sat cross legged on the ground with a white mask over his head; holes cut out of the fabric for the eyes and mouth only.

"Hey." Hyungwon looked to the boy as he sat down slowly in front of him, also crossing his legs. He nodded his head towards the white mask. "What's the deal with that?" It was something that all the members of their little group had, excluding Jin of course. They owned them, but they never wore them, unless for  _certain_ occasions.

Minhyuk reached at it before the silent Hyungwon moved away from him. He tried again, only to get the lanky boy to this time avoid it and push his arm away from him. Minhyuk moved to look into the eyes of the boy with the mask, telling him in a silent gaze that the mask was going to come off. The demeanor of Hyungwon almost instantly changed as he seemed to loosen up.

Minhyuk took this time to slowly reached with both of his hands and grab the end of the mask by his neck and slowly lift it off; peeling it off his head. When he removed it, he kept the mask in his right hand as he looked at the face of his friend.

Swollen, beaten and red.

Hyungwon's lip was split at the end, the blood dried to make it scab over. His left cheek was bruised, swollen as it covered the entirely of his left side. On the right, the eye was black and bruised as it swelled just under his eyelid. His entire face was patchy between being brown, red, or pale.

Minhyuk leaned back to uncross his legs, rage burning behind his eyes as he ripped himself from the floor and stormed out, taking the mask with him and leaving a weak Hyungwon behind as he crossed his arms over himself.

As Minhyuk was storming off back to the overpass, Wonho had arrived and peered in the window of the brown haired lass. She was laid on the ground, her back to him as seemed to pull her knees to her chest. He first thought she didn't feel well as he knocked on the glass. When she didn't move to answer him, he noticed how the window still had the rock underneath it from the previous night.

She must have forgotten to remove it. Too much in a daze.

He slipped his fingers under the wood as he, as quietly as possible, pushed it up and open. He then grabbed the pane and jumped as he lifted himself up and soon managed to crawl into her room. He kept the window open, just in case he needed a quick escape.

He walked over to Jin, kneeling at her back as her hair seemed to fan over her face. He nudged her shoulder, hoping to wake her. The blonde heard the girl take a deep intake of breath as she stirred and moved slightly.

"Hey." Wonho's low voice was what stopped her from moving. She had seemed to be moving to look at whomever was waking her, or trying to gain her attention, but at his voice, she seemed to stop and turn back to where she wasn't looking at him at all. He shook her shoulder again.

"Don't ignore me. The guys have been worried about you." She didn't even huff or scoff at him. She remained silent and still. He was growing irritated with her. Was she attempted to shun him?  Silent treatment? He hadn't done anything to piss her off that he recalled.

"Jin-" His hand was suddenly smacked off her as she pulled her shoulder from him as she sat up and stood, her back towards him the entire time.

"Go. Away." She spoke in a harsh tone that irritated Wonho even further. He stood up behind her and grabbed her wrist, not noticing her wince. He spoke sternly to her, but his voice became quieter with each word he spoke.

"Hey, no need to be a priss about.. it...." He had whipped her around, her hair brushed past his chest as she turned and he making her show her face as she didn't look up to him. His grip on her wrist loosened as she slightly bent his legs, his irritation gone. It was replaced with worry.

"What the fuck happened." The right side of Jin's face held a large, swollen mark on her cheekbone that swelled enough to slightly make her eye half lidded as well as a small cut on her lip as she brushed her tongue over. Wonho bent and took her chin under his finger as he looked at it; her eyes never once looking at him. He then noticed that her usual loose fitting, bra showing sweater was pulled up with string to her neck, hiding her shoulders.

He brushed his hands through her hair, moving it behind her shoulders and ripped off the strings, making the sweater loose once again, the left side of it hanging completely off her shoulder. He clenched his teeth and seemed to growl as more cuts and bruises revealed themselves on her supple skin.

Seeing her injuries almost made him regret touching her shoulder and whipping her around earlier. He moved his eyes back to her face as he wanted to question why the hell she looked like she just got fell down 4 flights of stairs, but was stopped as tears rolled from the inside of her eyes down her cheeks, swollen and not.

Wonho brushed Jin's even bangs over her forehead as he slowly moved his hand to the back of her head and pulled her to his chest. His other hand tugged slightly at her arm to pull her close to him as he wrapped it around her shoulders, rubbed her back. The boy could feel her arms lifted to grip at the sides of his shirt as he coaxed her to move to the floor where they sat in each others arm.

"Jin, you're dad... he did this didn't he?" Wonho spoke as softly and gently as he could as he tried to keep his rage from bursting and exploding in his head. He felt her head move against him, nodded to him as he let out a huff of air. "Then you need to leave. Get out of this goddamn house." She then shook her head at him. He looked down at the top of her head. "Why not?" His tone broke for a moment, coming out more harsh that he intended it to.

"Six times." Jin's muffled voice sounded as he felt her jaw move. "Six times I've tried, Wonho." Jin pulled away from the boy as she sat on her knees between his knees that were propped up from his feet being flat on the floor. "But, every time I try, he finds me." She scoffed as she remembered the latest attempt she made, and Wonho decided to take a guess.

"The other day, when you ran into us at the pass?" She twitched her head slightly to the right as she smiled a bit.

"Attempt number six my dear." She sighed at him as she seemed to be regaining her, once lost, composure. "This time he even got the fucking military involved, and of course you know what the aftermath of that was when I got home." Wonho looked at her as she looked at him, seemingly for the first time that day. She rolled her eyes.

"What? You thinking I didn't see you watching the whole thing sitting behind a barrel? How else would you know where I live." She smirked to him as he smiled to her slightly and ran his fingers through her hair, slightly tugging and untangling knots he caught.

The conversation ended and they sat in silence for a while. Jin was just enjoying the company and the peace in the otherwise chaotic world she lived in as Wonho had a typhoon of thoughts in his head. His mind had wondered and thought about how Hyungwon was doing, and if anything had come up with him and Minhyuk.

He kept thinking about how Jooheon and Shownu had been hanging around town lately. He thought about how I.M. and Kihyun were bystanders who felt like they needed to do more to protect their loved ones. And he thought about himself and how he wanted to keep everyone safe and how he also wanted to make a loud statement about exactly how he felt, without using words. His mind began to ignite on just how loud a statement he wanted as he took Jin's hands in his, gaining her attention.

"Listen, I have to go now. I'll see you soon." She didn't reply to him, only nodded her head as he placed his forehead on her own. Then, picking himself off the floor, he climbed back out the window, shutting it behind him, not removing the rock and running off back to the pass. Maybe someone was there, someone he could talk to.

That someone was Minhyuk.

On the other side of the two faced game of hurt or be hurt, Shownu sat in a room with an older man. The man was sick, covered in a white blanket in the run down room of the clinic. That man was his grandfather. It was all the family he had left and he was sick, and Shownu had no where near the money to help his treatment, so all he could do is hope that what he was going through medical wise would be enough.

In his hands he held closed, he pulled them apart to reveal a mask. White and holes cut out for the eyes and mouth. It was just like the mask Hyungwon wore when Minhyuk confronted him. He leaned his elbows on his knees, gazing at the mask then moving his eyes to the elder on the medical table. He took a breath before he lifted himself up and left the room.

Leaving the clinic he moved quickly to slide into a narrow alley way where he leaned against a wall and stuffed the mask into his pocket before crossing his arm. He was waiting for Jooheon. He had told him to rendezvous in this spot in an hour or so, and that hour was up.

The leader was brought out of his waiting patience as he heard a loud, high pitched whistle to gain his attention. Coming towards him with a large black bag slung over his shoulder, was Jooheon. Shownu uncrossed his arms and motioned him to come quicker, the capped man sliding into the alley and presenting the back to his senior.

"Here yah go." Shownu unzipped the back and reach in, gripping the object inside, pulling it out only enough to catch a glimpse of it. He moved to look up at Jooheon as the two slowly broke out into a triumphant smirk.

The object in the bag was a gun.

They took the bag and began to travel back to the pass. Not aware of the schemes Wonho and Minhyuk were about to discuss.

Minhyuk was already pacing back and forth in the pass as I.M. tried speaking to him. Wonho approached, ready to blow his top as well.

"Hey." Minhyuk turned at the voice of the older boy, as did I.M. He spoke up to the blonde.

"How was Jin?" Wonho shook his head.

"Horrible. Her old man beat the shit outta her." Minhyuk spoke up now, throwing his hands in the air.

"Hyungwon wasn't much better. His face was all swollen and red."

"Then something gotta be done. I will not sit back and watched any more of this bullshit happen." Wonho lashed out.

"I have an idea, if you're willing to listen to the youngest." I.M. had raised his hand slightly, signalling the two boy to come closer to him. He smirked as he leaned back and dropped his arm, fiddling around in his pocket before he pulled out a lighter.

He kept it on him for when they went to the greenhouse, he'd use to start the lamp fire. He flicked open the metal top open and flicked his thumb swiftly over the flint wheel, allowing the eyelet to ignite with a small, burning flame.

Wonho and Minhyuk looked at the brown haired boy before looking at each other. They didn't even need words to all know what the plan was and how all of this would be going down. I.M. flipped the lighter closed as he then stuffed it back in his pocket just as Shownu and Jooheon showed up with the duffel back with ammunition for their own little ploy. The look in Shownu's eyes asked about the status of his fellow 'members'.

"It's not good," was all that I.M. told him. He huffed as he ran his hand behind his neck, looking up at the concrete ceiling. Shownu already knew the boys were about to do something reckless, as per usual, but he had his own things to do that weren't any better.

"Do what you have to. Make it count." He spoke as he turned to Jooheon who nodded at them. They had their leader's go ahead. Nothing would stop them now. The day was still young, and night was just long enough way to plot and ignite.

The clan was moving and there was no way to stop them at this point. Jin and Hyungwon sat in there homes, unaware of the actions their friend were taking for them.  

 


	3. Chapter 3

It was hardly past noon as Shownu and Jooheon ran through the streets, throwing that duffle to each other and each pulling a gun out before storming into store and shops.  Shownu was in this for the money to see what he could do to pay for his family’s medical dilemma, while Jooheon was in this to provide back up for his leader as well as he wouldn’t pass up the chance to screw things over for the military.  

 

They burst into store, sometimes with masks, sometimes without.  The guns pulled and wrapped in white cloth as they pinned workers and customers to the shelves, to the walls, on the ground and always took them of their income.  Jooheon even snagging things for himself, or things he would find useful of their flowers or for someone else he knew.  They went store to store in a random attack pattern, mainly attacking the places where the medical men would frequent as almost a warning that they were coming for them.

 

The duffle was nearly full now.  Loose, crumpled bills of currency acting as a bed for the metal guns that lay in the back as Jooheon and Shownu replaced them in the bag and took off.  Now, for the next step they all knew who happen.  They knew that the actions they were doing would lead to a huge problem, so they needed to prepare for it all now.  

 

Jooheon took off as Shownu took the duffel back to his own house, hiding it in a place only he knew before he moved his body to the clinic. He stepped in without a word, just as he normally would, taking note of the glance he was given by a passing man.  A look in his eyes that he hadn’t received here.  He moved up floors and down halls until he stopped down the hall from his grandfather’s room.  

 

He watched as a group of 4 medical team men carried out a stretcher with a clean white blanket pulled over a body.  After the men had moved down the hall, passing by the leader of a group of boys, he calmly strode into the room, finding it empty.  Completely bare.  

 

Shifting views, Minhyuk walked with a steady pace, Wonho and I.M. behind him as he carried around a full cannister sloshing around with gasoline, the stench of the oil still lingering on their fingertips. As they kept walking both Wonho and I.M. gripped their own white, cut out masks in their hands as they slipped them over their heads and Minhyuk flipped his hood up.  

 

They wandered to a medical building with no patients that all the men gathered and happened to be underwork, meaning Jin’s father was currently employed there.  I.M. managed to get information that stated they’d be working in that building until late tonight.  All they had to do was plan everything just right.  

 

Everyone had their own jobs and everything would be in motion just as the dusk began and night reign supreme.  Everyone besides Kihyun who was now, walking a desolate locations of the town, moving quickly with his crutches. He took the small bottle of blue flower nectar and uncorked it before drinking and swallowing the liquid. He limped as he moved before dropping the small glass bottle, listening to it shatter. With a rapid motion, he discarded one of his crutches; throwing it off his forearm as he heard it clatter to the ground, feeling his legs seemingly grow stronger.  

 

He swung his free arm as he took steps with his free leg and soon threw the second crutch a few steps away from the first. He exaggerated the swinging of his arms as his body limped with each harsh footstep he slamming onto the ground.  

 

He bit his lips, moving steadfast as he moved up a hill and made it to the overpass.  He didn’t need those god forsaken crutches.  He had a good, strong pair of legs.  He needed to get up and use them.  So he will and would from now on.  

 

Kihyun was greeted by I.M. as he headed to the pass for a few items he kept hidden, so he knew what he needed to dig up and find in the town, or even steal from people.  When I.M. noticed the boy standing without the use of his crutches, he only smiled and raised his hand.  They clasped their hands together, offering each other a pat on the back as I.M. offered if he was willing to do something with him.

 

“Give me a hand?  I have a few things I’ll probably need an extra pair of hands and legs for.  You in?”  Kihyun rolled his eyes.  

 

“Naturally.”  I.M. then lead the boy with him, talking with him on the way.  The day soon started to fade as the clouds made the indigo sky just a shade darker into a shade of midnight.  It was at the time, the three boys who had previously walked the town with gasoline at their side, went and grabbed it from where they left it and travel to the medical house.  

 

They watched from a distance as they saw lights and figures moving about.  Minhyuk and Wonho moved to hid as I.M. slipped on his mask and started throwing small gasoline filled balls into the house through the window.  The sound of glass shattering echoed in the night.  After throwing about 4 inside, their contents spilling as they collided with the inside, he ran and hid himself as the men rushed out to see what in the hell was happening.  

 

As the men moved out of their house, Wonho was able to get inside behind them as they walked around, douse easily flammable objects and get out before they came back in.  The remained gas was given to Minhyuk to splatter on the walls and the outside before he tossed the empty canister aside and started at the house.  

 

“A few finishing touches.”  Wonho took a can of black spray paint and created a thick, black ‘X’ on the front window of the door and tossed the can inside the house through the broken window, knowing full well that mother would blow as soon as fire hit it.  He then looked to I.M. as he dug in his pockets.

 

“All yours.”  He motioned to the house as he flicked open the lighter he pulled out, striking it and began to light out the outside perimeter and the walls before tossing the lighter inside. The boys retreated to a few houses down as he watched the house slowly become engulfed with flames.  Soon the door was busted as the men stumbled out.

 

They hacked and coughed as the smoke invaded their lungs, threatening their lives. They couldn’t even stand properly as they dragged each other out.  The black paint sprayed on the door began to drip wit color as the men viewed it.  The boys never had a name, but with that ‘X’ and the name Jin had given them the first day they met.  

 

They would mark the places they were with ‘X’s, knowing that X marks the spot and they were a family, a group of friend, a clan.  

 

The X Clan had a nice ring to it.  

 

The trio of boys watched as the flames engulfed the building, burning it and destroying it from the inside and out.  They watched with satisfied looks on their faces and didn’t leave until they had their fill of watching the men who made their closest people hurt, suffer like they did.  

 

In that same night, Shownu had taken the black bag of the money he had taken and slung it over his shoulder.  The room that was empty had only a bare bed with a folded pair of clothes on it.  The boy dropped the bag from his shoulder, still holding it in his hand as with his other he placed a small, flower of the shade of blue.  

 

Lifting the bag, he unzipped it and flipped it, bumping the bills out into a small mound on the table.  Some fell to the floor but most just rested at his hip.  He took a breath as he looked at the ceiling and pulled a small matchbox from his pocket.  Sliding it open to remove one stick, he struck it and watched as the flame erupted and settled on the red tip.  He then dropped it on the mountain of cash and watched as the money that didn’t save his grandfather burned.  

 

He breathed as the fire lit the small room and sweat and even a tear rolled down his face and soon he left the bag to burn with the money. With the burning of the money and the deep breaths of his anger, he then drank his own small bottle of nectar he had gripped tightly in his hand. The town was well lit that night, and it wasn’t because of street lights.  

 

The night morning came and soon the boys all gathered at the overpass.  They were all smiles, proud even as they were still short two members.  Just as usual, Wonho and Minhyuk were to go and get them, but before they all left, I.M. and Kihyun brought to their attention the movement of the military.  

 

They were moving a lot today.  They were inspecting the two fires that occurred the night before and even tried to do something about who the ones leaving the spray painted ‘X’ were.  It’d only be a matter of time before they started suspected them because of their previous conflicts with others.  

 

“With all that in mind,” Jooheon stepped forward and took of the jacket he wore, pulling blue flowers from them as well as 8 small bottles of the nectar of their flowers, “these might be helpful.”  He gave each of the boys a few stems and one bottle, however he gave an extra to both Wonho and Minhyuk, for them to pass onto Jin and Hyungwon.

 

He then, being the charismatic boy he is, took one stem of his and gently placed it between his thumb and forefinger, holding it out for the boys to witness before he bowed to it.  

 

“To our beloved X Clan.”  He smiled as all the boys followed suit.  Soon, Wonho and Minhyuk bounced out of the pass, leaving the others to wait for them patiently.  

 

The white haired boy moved and got into Hyungwon’s house, bouncing around and gripping the bottles of nectar in his pocket as he looked for his close friend.  He wasn’t in his room.  He looked around the house, empty as his father was probably being treated for his ‘misfortunate accident’ last night.  

 

He knew of only another place he could be.  Right outside the back of his house was a small shed like building.  Run down with a single tub in it from it’s previous tenant or whatever.  

 

He worked his way out of the house and approached the small shed like structure and pushed open the fragile doors to enter a small inside with a single deteriorating wall to separate it into two rooms.  The first was barren and rocky, but beyond that was a tiled room with vines that invade the walls and cracks that allow water to drip through on days of rain.  

 

Shutting that door of the building behind him, he stepped inside and saw the lone tub Hyungwon told him about once filled with water, nearly threatening to spill over with the added body to add to the water level.  Minhyuk moved to lean against the wall as he looked at the ground, then back the ceiling.  

 

Hyungwon’s lanky body was engulfed in chilled water as his legs hung over the end of the tub and his head was under it.  HIs body was deathly pale and his clothes moved slightly in the calm water.  Minhyuk grit his teeth and moved to pull the boy’s head above the water, feeling how cold his skin was to the touch; it was like he was just pulled from a freezer.  

 

After his head was pulled up, his neck let his head limply fall back as it leaned over the top of the tub as well.  His hair was a shade darker and droplets of water clung to his hair that in turn clung to his forehead.

 

Minhyuk moved to sit on a small ledge that was next to the tub.  He leaned his arms on his knees and dug into his pocket to pull out one of his small bottles.  He moved it around in his hand for a moment, watching the liquid move and conform to the shape of the bottle.  He sighed as he pulled the cork out of it and looked at Hyungwon’s unconscious, still, pale body.  

 

LIfting his arm, he positioned the bottle over the water and began to pour it into the tub.  The small amount of liquid seemed to do a lot of changing the tint of the clear water, as it took on a more tinted shade now.  The nectar conformed with the water and clung to the emerged body of Hyungwon.  

 

Minhyuk then stood rapidly and paced around, running his hands through his hair as he then then shouted at nothing and threw the bottle against the wall.  The glass shattered and fell to the ground in shards, the sounds of the different sized fragments all fell and hit the ground at a different time.  Some of the sharded glass even stuck to the wall as a thin layer of glittering dust.  

 

He then turned and looked at the boy and soon walked to the edge of the tub before raising his foot and stepping in.  The water soaked through his shoes and as his foot was submerged, then his ankle to his knee and up his leg, the water level rose ever so slowly.

 

Soon he moved to kneel in the water and then lay his chest on the chest of Hyungwon.  The water spilled over the side of the tub as it splashed to the floor, making the tiles glissen.  The white ends of his head that slightly brushed the surface of the water turned a shade of light gray as the water was sucked up by the strands.  

 

His head rested by Hyungwon’s, on his shoulder as his hand reached and grabbed the other’s.  He felt the pad of his fingers and how they were wrinkled from the amount of time he was in the water and how cold his hands were.  He held onto his hand tightly as he just lay in the water with him, content to stay that for the rest of his life if Hyungwon didn’t wake up.  

 

Moving to the other child that was currently being used as a prison in her home, Jin.  

 

Wonho had ran all the way to her house.  He was worried about her, not to mention he wanted to tell her about everything he and The Clan had planned.  Their plans for getting back, their plans for getting out, their plans for finally achieving happiness.  Above all else though, he just wanted to see her.  

 

He slowed his movement just enough to safely dip into the alley way and hop to her window and stop in front of it.  He knocked on the glass, just as he did normally and waiting.  The curtains were drawn, but there was just enough space between the pieces of fabric to peer inside.  After not hearing anything from inside, not seeing any movement.  He knocked again.

 

“Jin.”  He spoke, not too loud, but he knew the window was cracked with a rock, so she would be able to hear if he spoke to her.  He still didn’t hear of see anything.  He peeked inside and watched as the room was completely still.  He noticed a few of her books that were on her shelves before were on the floor, but that was all.  

 

Wonho began to feel something in his gut.  A vile feeling that made him almost want to vomit.  It burned his throat as he moved to get inside.  

 

He curled his fingers under the chipping wood, careful not to take any with his fingers as splinters, as he slowly lifted the window up.  He climbed in, just as he had before as he let himself in.  He moved the curtains out of his way as he placed a foot on the floorboard, the other flowing after he pushed the curtains completely out of the way.  

 

Jin’s room was a mess.  Papers, books, her bed spread and pillows, even clothes were scattered everywhere. It looked like a wind storm blew through her room, but in reality, she must have somehow riled up her temper and just decided that the only cure for her to calm down was to destroy the room.

 

The look of the room itself worried the blonde.  If she was in enough distress to completely annihilate her room, he could only wonder what she could have done to herself.  He knelt to look at the scattered papers, seeing small little drawings, lines of songs, crappy poems, and even a few letter addressed to her from her past life in a different town.   He lifted his head to look around and noticed that there was still something small resting on her shelf.  

 

He stood to walk over to it, the shelf that was only a few steps away from the closet.  It was a small, sliding wooden box.  It was crafted with intrigue vines etched into the wood and it seemed to be extremely well taken care of.  Out of all the things Jin had thrown or wrecked, she hadn’t touched this box.  

 

Wonho, being curious, moved his fingers to push the top of the box just a bit so that he could grab it.  He shifted his hands so that he held the box in one palm and the other pulled the top until it came off the top of the box. In sides was a bed of cloth.  The cloth was a lavender and resting on that cloth was that one, singular flower he and Minhyuk and presented her the first night they left.  

 

Wonho put the lid on back on the shelf as he gently took the stem between his fingers and twirled it about.  He handled it with ease as he thought about how it was protected in a single small box carved of wood that she had left placed where it belonged.  Even in the fit of her rage, she was able to cherish the flower in that box because it was a gift from her friends, the people who accepted her.  

 

He set the box back on the shelf as he placed the flower back inside and turned to keep looking around when he noticed the closet door was slightly ajar.  The closet was a long closet with a set of doors that slide together in the center.  One of the door was slightly open, not quite meeting with the other in the center.  He stepped forward to it as he peeked in the crack.  

 

It was too dark to see anything.  He gripped the door side and began to push it, sliding it more away from the other and opening one half of the closet.  As he pushed it open, his blood began to go cold as he felt it spread throughout his body.  His toes to his feet to his knees.  It spread through his stomach to his chest and even down his arms to the tips of his fingers.  

 

The side of the closet revealed the bottom half of a person that lay on the floor.  Their legs were bare as they were slightly bent.  Their knees rested against each other, one slightly lower than the other and their feet were positioned with their toes in the air, their heels digging into the ground.  The tips of their fingers peering from behind the other doors, the other side of the dark closet.  

 

Wonho was scared.  He didn’t want to think about who it was.  He didn’t want to open the other side of the closet and find out.  He didn’t want to think about how the person wasn’t moving or about how pale their skin was.  He didn’t want to think about how this person was in Jin’s closet and how her room was wrecked.  

 

He didn’t want to think.

 

He took in a shaky breath as he gripped the other doors side.  He wanted to move his hand, his arm to open it, but his body wouldn’t listen to his brain.  Just as his brain wouldn’t listen to the screaming pain his heart let ripple throughout his chest.  He clench his teeth as he gripped the door harder and threw his arm to the side, throwing the door open with enough force that as it hit the ending point at the wall, it bounced back just a few centimeters.

 

Just looking down made his knee buckle and his body nearly collapse.  He smiled bitterly as he staggered over to one side and leaned on the wall, sliding down it, getting closer to the body that lay on the ground.

 

Wonho just stared blankly at the upper half of the body he found in the closer.  Their small body clothed in an oversized sweater, their hands just barely peaking out of the sleeves.  One arm by their side and the other over their stomach.  Their body lay completely flat on the floor as around their neck was a belt, fastened and secured to cut off breathing.  Their long, tangled mess of brunette hair was trapped under their body and spilled out from inside the plastic bag that covered their head.  

 

Wonho let a small strangled cry leave his lips as he took in a shaky breath and looked at the body of Jin.  He moved his body to crawl and sit in front of the girl’s body.  He moved his shaking hand under her head and lifted it, cradling it as it removed the plastic bag.  He ran his hand over her cold cheek and saw how it had paled so much compared to her normal complexion.  He knew she wouldn’t stir to him touching her like this.  His sights moved to the belt wrapped around her throat.  

 

He softly set her head down and moved his trembling fingers on the metal buckled of the belt and soon worked the leather out of the buckled, unlatching it and revealing the pressure on her throat before pulling it off her completely.  He brushed over ther raw, red blistered left by the leather with his finger tips.    


“Why couldn’t you have just waited for me…?”  He moved to lower his head to her neck, resting it there as he placed his hand on her chest.  He wanted so badly to feel her blood moving, to feel her pulse or feel the rising of her chest with each breath of air, but he was met with nothing but stillness.  He tightly shut his eyes as the hand that rested on her chest, grabbed a handful of her sweater as another broken sob left his throat.  

 

His brown eyes couldn’t produce tears, but the iching in his throat and the burning in his chest made his nose burn as he just let out uneven deep breaths with his cries.  He just wanted her to come back.  

 

The blonde lifted his head as he looked at her face.  Even after the shit she’s been through to make her go through this, her face doesn’t look peaceful, not even now.  Wonho managed to gather enough of himself to move now.  He moved himself to bring his feet to the ground and tucked his arms under Jin’s legs and around her back, pulling her to his chest before he lifted her and himself up.  

 

Her arm that wasn’t rested on her stomach and pressed against his chest dangled at her side as he turned and walked away from the closet to her bed.  He stepped over papers, around books and pass the box with her flower in it to gently place her on her bed on her back.  After removing his arms from her, he brushed her bangs off her forehead and through her hair, snagging on a few strands.  

 

At a loss on what to do, he decided to tidy up.  Of all things, he knew she wasn’t a fan of disorder and he wanted her to come back.  He had a plan, and idea he was willing to try out, but if it worked, she wouldn’t want to see her room in such a state.  He almost chuckled to himself about the whole situation, that is, if the situation didn’t include the girl he liked in her closet after she killed herself.  

 

He looked to the ceiling before taking one calming breath and started working.  He picked up book after book, closing them, flipping through them to see what they were about and placing them in a stack on the ground.  He organized the papers into piles of letter, or of poems or stories and even her little doodles.  After picking up the books from the ground, he started to place them on her shelves, he even did it so that the titles were in alphabetical order.

 

He then noticed the box with her flower.  He hadn’t closed it.  He picked it up again, gazing at the flower and remember the night Minhyuk and him went to her window.  He remembered how she cut him off from speaking the first time they saw each other at the overpass.  He remembered how she snuck out of her house that night, going with them to their own paradise.  He remembered how she smiled and laughed while painting her face and with him and the others.  

 

Now she’s gone.  

 

He shook his head.  He took the lid, sliding it back on and placing it back on the shelf with the books before picking up the papers he organized and putting them somewhere.  He took the plastic bag and the belt from the closet she used to suffocate herself and walked to the window.  It was still propped open and he stuck his upper body out of it.  

 

Wonho placed the belt into the bag before tying the bag closed.  He took the bag and began swing it before with enough force from his strength and the power of potential and kinetic energy, he threw both of the disgusting things out. Not caring where it landed or where it went, he just wanted those stupid things gone.  

 

He pulled himself back inside and looked at the window and the rock sitting inside the pane.  He took the sharp end of the rock and etched into the glass, a large ‘X’.  He dropped the rock and looked over his shoulder to the girl laying on the bed.  He walked over to her to stand at her bed side.  He lifted his overly giant shirt up a bit to reach into his pocket and pulled out his two bottles of the nectar Jooheon collected for them all.  He sat on of the bottles on the pillow, next to her head as he kept on.  

 

“Let’s see if this works….” He pulled the corked from the bottle, dropping it on the ground as it bounced and rolled beneath the bed.  He took the bottle to his lips, pouring the liquid into his mouth and holding it there.  He lowered his hand and let the bottle slip from his fingers as he leaned over Jin.  He placed his hand next to her head as he let his other grab her jaw, pulling open her mouth before he connected his lips to hers and forced the liquid into her body.  

 

He didn’t know whether or not her body would swallow the nectar.  It could slide down her throat, or just sit there, caved in the back of her mouth for all he knew.  He didn’t care, he just wanted it to work.  Once the liquid was all transferred over, the blonde crawled over Jin’s body and planted his head on her chest.  

 

“Please… just come back.” He shut his eyes as he felt like he was drowning in the silence.  The outside was quiet, not even birds annoying him with their constant chatter.  Her room was silent, save for his quiet breathing and the house held no sign of her rotten father.  

 

Just as though the world, or perhaps some God that may or may not exist, thought these boys: Jooheon, Shownu, Minhyuk, I.M., Kihyun and Wonho had been through enough.  Or that the two victims of abuse and suffering: Hyungwon and Jin didn’t deserve the treatment they got or the death they were forced to choose.

 

Hyungwon held Minhyuk’s hand tightly as Jin’s chest became to rise with breath.  Simultaneously, their eyes cracked open to see the light of the world they had chosen to leave behind.  

 

Wonho and Minhyuk both moved their body quickly to look into the eyes of their most important person before breaking out into smiles and hugging them.  They were happy, so _so_ happy that they came back.  

 

“Wonho…?”  His arms were under Jin’s neck that was sore and her head pounded.  

 

“Don’t you ever,” his voice was harsh as well as muffled in her neck, “do that dumb shit again. Do you hear me Yi Eo-Jin.”  She was confused for a moment, but the memories of her lashing out and tying the belt around her neck before hiding in her closet and placing a bag over her head came back to her.  

 

“Wonho.. I-”  He shook his head and lifted himself up off her, only bringing his forehead back down to hers.  He looked into her eyes as she looked back at him.  He could see the swirl of confusion and chaos in her brown eyes as she saw the fear and sorrow in his own.  “I’m sorry.”  

 

“You should be.”  He moved away from her before sitting on her bed and taking her hands in his own.  Her color was starting to fade back into a healthier shade and he started to pull her up to sit.  He noticed that the marks on her neck were gone as well.  The nectar not only brought her back to him, but healed her physical wounds.  Now it was up to him to heal the rest.  

 

“Listen.  Tonight we’re leaving.”  Those words almost scared Jin.  

 

“What do you mean?  Leaving?  Who is?”  

 

“You.  Me.  Everyone.  Even the guys are coming.  We have a plan all ready to go, but we weren’t about to leave you and Hyungwon behind.”  Jin remembered the harsh slap he received the other day.  

 

“Hyungwon, is he okay?  I mean is he-”  

 

“Minhyuk is getting him.  He’ll be okay.  He’ll be there.  Everyone will.”  Jin wanted to go, wanted to believe him.  But her father.  She still didn’t know about their little stunt with the fire and the ‘X’ of their Clan.  

 

“But, my father….” Wonho gripped her hands tighter.  

 

“Lucky number 7?”  She looked to him as he offered a slightly off kilter smile.  Number seven was lucky to her.  She had moved to 6 other towns before coming to this one.  This was the seventh town.  In this town, she met seven boys who brought her a flower and accepted her.  So maybe, just maybe, the attempt of leaving for a seventh time would actually work.  

 

After enough persuading from Wonho that the attempt at leaving will forsure work this time, Jin eventually agreed to at least trying. If she would fail, it wouldn’t be any different than the other times before now.  

 

Wonho moved to jump out of her bed before her and grab the bottle of nectar that remained on her pillow, waiting to give it to her yet.  He decided that the one he used to bring her back was his to use and will give the left over to her in case of another emergency.  Jin groggily pulled herself to sit up and slung her legs over the edge of the bed.  She pushed herself to stand, but just as she left the mattress she fell, her body still not recovered from the state of death and the first stages of rigor mortis.  

 

“Woah…!” Wonho ran around the bed and grabbed the girl’s biceps before slowly lifting her to sit back on the bedside.  “Guess you’re not ready to walk around yet.”  Jin shook her head and looked at her legs.  They felt numb, almost hard to move even.  

 

“No.  I’m definitely not.”  Wonho only shrugged before kneeling with his back towards her.  She blinked at him.  “ _What_ are you doing?” He heard him chuckled before he looked over his shoulder, his arms behind him.  

 

“We kinda need to get moving, and if you can’t walk, carrying you is the only option.”  She looked at his back then the window.  

 

“But, we can’t go out the window like that.”  She chuckled again and looked towards her door.  

 

“You’re dad’s not here.  I’ll just walk out the front.”  Jin was a bit nervous about that decision, but just as before, he was right.  It was only a matter of time before he came home, and every sec she spent doubting and hesitating lessened that time frame.  

 

“Okay.”  She used her arms and pushed herself to the very edge of the mattress before placing her hands on Wonho’s shoulders and letting herself fall forward, her chest hitting his back.  He let out a small noise at the impact as her hands gripped his shoulders and he reached back to pull her legs forward to his sides and then gripped the back of her thighs before standing.  

 

Jin quickly moved her hands from his shoulders to wrap her arms around them instead, them clasping together near his chest at the fear of falling.  He hefted up up, hiking her into a comfortable and easy to move in position before he turned and started towards her door.  Opening it with one hand, keeping the other under her to support her he left her room.

 

Jin directed him through the small house and lead him to the front where he casually walked out.  He left that house with Jin, the only calling card was the ‘X’ etched into her bedroom window with a rock and that single blue flower in a box.  

 

As Wonho carried Jin back, the two ran into Minhyuk who was supporting the taller Hyungwon who was slumped over his shoulder, walking like a drunken man.  They were happy to meet the two and Jin had only assumed Hyungwon was in the same position as her.  They basically formed the ‘Bad Decision’ club with the titles of president Hyungwon and Founder Jin.  

 

The group of four all moved with as much speed as they could to the overpass where, once they were in sight, they were all greeted with shouts and waves from the other members.  Once under the concrete dome of the pass, Wonho sat Jin down in the chair Kihyun normally sat in and Hyungwon as lowered to lean against the wall on the ground, giving Minhyuk to rotated him shoulder, complaining about how tall and lanky the heavier man is.  

 

“Good to see you two in good health.” Kihyun spoke as he looked at their, somewhat, debilitated states.  Wonho and Minhyuk only scoffed at his attempt of humor when Jin decided to speak back to Kihun.

 

“Yeah, all that aside, something seemed a bit… different?” Kihyun laced his fingers behind his head and kicked one of his legs around when I.M. interjected with his own comments to the conversation.  

 

“He ditched his crutches.  Finally stopped being a wuss and decided to use his legs.”  With said legs, he proceeded to kick at the youngest male before they all stopped.  Hyungwon who was catching his breath with his head down, lifted it to look at his family of men and a woman.

 

“Sooo, what’s the plan.”  Jooheon who was kicking his heels against the drum the barrel he sat on swayed to the right and left as he replied.

 

“Well, the main idea is to get the hell outta here.  How is the how thing we gotta figure out.”  Kihyun and I.M. looked at each other before the youngest spoke up.  

 

“I’m pretty sure I have a few goodies that will help.  Kihyun helped of course.”  They all looked at him as he turned and walked out of the pass, not far, but just far enough to dig around in a small hidden dug out he created and dragged out a rather large plastic bin with a cover latched on on either side.  He picked it up, taking heavy steps and nearly wobbling with it as he walked it and then proceeded to drop it to the center of the group of friends.  

 

He then unlatched the lid and lifted it off, tossing it somewhere behind him.  The group all gawked at the equipment he managed to gather.

 

“Voila.” He gestured with his hands.  Inside the bin was a stack of different kinds of combat uniforms and equipment, as well as guns and knives.  They were all strangely bleached completely white, even the weapons, which was odd, but it would work for making a statement about how the white was fighting back against the men clad in black.  

 

“How the hell did you get all this?”  Minhyuk spoke as a couple of the others had already begun to dig around, pulling out vests, long sleeved shirts, trousers, and guns to inspect them.  They were all in pretty great shape.  I.M. merely shook his head.

 

“I have my way around things.”  He shrugged as Kihyun only whistled when the question was directed at him, as he didn aid the youngest at least in some of the gathering.  They didn’t really care, they were just impressed it all.  If any ever ever accuses the youngest of a group for being lazy, they were definitely wrong.  After all, their youngest pulled through with a 12/10 job performance that they weren’t expecting.  He was definitely a sly fellow.  

 

“Well, looked like out plan is pretty set then.”  They all knew what was coming, and no words were needed.  They were going to blast their way out, and if someone were to stop them, they’d be oh so ready.  

 

“Alright, every dig through and find your needed materials.  This operation starts tonight.”  Shownu directed the boys.  Hyungwon, now strong enough to at least stand on his own, chuckled.  

 

“Operation, huh?”  Shownu smirked to him.

 

“It sounds better than ‘plan’.”  The lanky man nodded at him, raising his hand.  

 

“Noted.”  Then they all began to dig around.  They all began to undress as Jin had turned her back for them.  She was about to run around and case some shit with these boys, but she was still a girl, and she would be flustered if she were to watch a group of attractive men undress and change.  

 

She’d occasionally get the snide remark from Wonho about how she wanted to look, or how ‘he wouldn’t mind if she only looked at him’.  She rolled her eyes, shooting snide remarks and objections to his, so called, _offers_ before they all signaled that it was safe for her too look again.  

 

All decked out in white, they were.  Long sleeved white shirts, slightly off white vests, white jeans, tight or loose and even white shoes.  They even had their guns slung around them on their backs that were painted white.  

 

“Your turn babygirl.”  She raised her brow at Wonho as he spoke to her.  He rolled his eyes as he walked over to stand in front of her.  

 

“We’re not going to leave you out to wonder with those clothes.  Of course we have something for you to change into.”  She looked around Wonho to I.M. who was pulled the remaining pieces from the bin.  

 

“I managed to find and bring back female clothes to work for you.  I didn’t know your size, so I just guessed.  I’m usually right on with this kind of thing though.”  Wonho reached out his hands and cleared his throat, bring her attention back to him.  Jin looked at his hands then up to his eyes.  He open and closed his hands, signalling for her.

 

“Come on.  Let’s get you up.  You might need help changing.”  He clicked his tongue as she just sighed and grabbed his hands.  He pulled her up out of the chair as she stumbled a bit.  She had her strength back, but it felt like she hadn’t walked in years.  She ambled over to the bin and retrieved the clothing and shoes from I.M. and then looked at Minhyuk.  

 

“Hey, wanna help me change just in case I can’t do it myself?”  Wonho nearly dropped to his knees as the white haired boy jumped up, giddy as he pranced over to her, taking the clothes from her arms.  

 

“Excuse me.  Hellooo.  Why _Minhyuk_?”  Minhyuk looked at his, obviously over dramatic, senior and rolled his eyes as Jin looked over her shoulder to him and smiled, almost too sweetly.  

 

“Because I know he won’t try to cop a feel or be perverted.  He’ll actually help me change.”  She turned back to MInhyuk as she gripped his arm and walked over to the wall.  Shownu then chased the boys out of the pass and around the corner, quite literally dragging Wonho.  

 

Jin laughed with Minhyuk once they were all out.  She knew that they way he felt towards Hyungwon, she’d be just fine changing in front of him.  Even if he was that way, he’d still compliment her thought.  She would’ve asked Hyungwon, but he was still recovering, like herself.  

 

The boy set the clothes out separately on the metal box.  Her long shirt, her pants, and her vest.  He took the shoes from Jin and dropped them on the ground with the socks in them.  Minhyuk then, with the biggest smile, lifted his arms up.

 

“Arms up!”  They laughed as they heard a faint ‘ _hey!_ ’ from Wonho around the corner, but Jin complied.  She raised her arms as Minhyuk grabbed the bottom of her sweater and lifted it over her stomach, then chest to reveal her tan bra and up and over her head and arms.  Her brown hair fell as she shook her head and shivered at the sudden and drastic change in temperature.  He took and folded her old sweater and tossed it into the bin with the rest of the old members old clothing that they’d leave here.  

 

“Alright, now kick off those boots and I’ll pull off your socks.”  She nodded as she placed the toes of her left foot behind the heel of her right and pulled, loosening the right boot enough so she flicked her leg and the boot flew off.  She did the same with the left boot.  Then, she lifted each leg separately for Minhyuk to roll down and pull off her socks, revealing her small toes in which the boy didn’t hesitate to play with.  

 

“Hey!  Watch it!”  She kick at his hand at his advance.  He only suppressed his laughter at her, knowing full well that reaction was exactly what he wanted.  He took the socks and rolled them before going to fetch her boots from their spread out location.  

 

“Alright, alright.  Now, off with the shorts girl.”  She rolled her eyes as she filled with the button of her cut off shorts and unzipped them, letting him fall off her hips and to her ankles as she stepped out of them.  The echo of the denim falling and hitting the concrete made Wonho, around the corner who sat biting his nails bounce his leg.  He was quite entertaining for the remaining 5 to watch.

 

Jin used one of her bare feet to hook around the waistline of her shorts and lifted them off the ground before flinging them to the bin, making them in only half way, the other half hanging out.  She shrugged.  Not too bad, at least it got there.  

 

Jin stood, her arms across her chest, running her hands up and down her arms to try and warm herself.  Clothed in only a tan bra that supported her breast and a pair of black female boxers Minhyuk stroked his chin, trying to find the best way to make Wonho tick.  

 

“You’ve got a nice body Jin!  You shouldn’t have hid it under all those baggy clothes!”  He and Jin could basically hear Wonho trying to scramble from his spot around the corner, but with the others holding him back.  She was till changing and they were ready for the body to tease him.  

 

“EXCUSE ME.”  Minhyuk barked in laughter as Jin rolled her eyes.  “HOW MUCH ARE YOU VIEWING!”  Minhyuk trotted over to the corner and peeked around it, seeing that indeed Shownu held Wonho by his arms and I.M. had wrapping himself around his leg, sitting on the ground, acting like an anchor. Hyungwon only sat back and watched with a smile and Kihyun was like I.M., only on the man’s opposite leg.  

 

“I can see everything~” He put his hand over his mouth to mockingly giggle at the older man before he watched his face glow red and Minhyuk disappeared back behind the corner.  Jin was watching him with a smirk.  

 

“I hope you’re having fun.”  He nodded to her and moved to grab the long sleeved shirt.

 

“Now, let’s get dressed.”  He placed the shirt over her head and let her work her arms through the sleeves as the shirt rested on her neck.  She pulled it over her breast and down her stomach to have the end stop at her waist.  She was handed her pants next, Minhyuk gathering up the entire leg to put her feet through so she could just work with pulling them up instead of having to work her foot out before dressing herself.  The pants buttoned higher, up right below her navel as Minhyuk slipped on her socks and then put on a pair of white, buckle up boots that just reached her shin.  

 

The vest however, was not as easy to put on as the rest.  She wasn’t able to properly button the vest up because of her breast, so she just had to deal with it covering her back and just hanging up in the front.  

 

“Guess that can’t be helped.  Boob’s must really suck.”  Jin rolled her eyes.  

 

“You have no idea.”  She was given a small gun she tucked into the hostel in the inside of the vest and Minhyuk called to let the guys back in.  They all entered easier expect Wonho who looked just exhausted.  They all talked about how they seemed like a real clan and that this way it’d be easy to locate each other.  

 

It was when everyone was chatter, and Wonho was speaking with Minhyuk about his behavior, that Jin was starting to think about this.  She was going to do it, and she had no doubt about the boys.  She trusted them, had faith in them, but she was still skeptical about something.  She looked around and found a scrap piece of metal, just lying on the ground next to the rusted barrel that was nearly shaped like an ‘X’.

 

Jin bit her cheek.  She wanted to do something.  It was stupid and probably reckless, not to mention it’s gonna be painful, but she had an idea for herself.  She took the metal scrap and walked over to Wonho, grabbing and pulling at his sleeve, getting his attention.  He turned and looked down at the girl holding a piece of metal.  

 

“What’s up?”

 

“You guys still have your lights and what not, right?”  I.M. dug in his pocket, as did Shownu, both revealing two different lights.  One was slightly bigger than the other. “Okay, now this is gonna sound stupid, but I want you guys to do me a favor.”  

 

“Jin.”  Wonho looked at her, speaking her name as he was slightly worried about what she was going to say.  

 

“Just hear me out. On the way here, I over heard the news about the fires and the ‘X’ spray painted on one of the buildings doors.  Obviously, I can guess that was you guys.”  The boys almost felt ashamed when she said it like that, but she wasn’t mad.  In a way, she was rather proud of them.  They took a stand.  

 

“It’s fine, really, but with that in mind,” she lifted the ‘X’ shaped metal piece, “I was hoping you’d do me a favor and mark me too.”  They all knew what she was implying.  She wanted them to hit the metal up just enough to where she’d be able to put in on her skin and create an ‘X’ shaped burn scar on her body.  

 

She wanted them to brand that ‘X’ on herself.  

 

Wonho outrightly refused.  

 

“No way. What makes you think you need to fucking brand yourself?”  She shook her head.  

 

“No!  It’s not like that, but think about it.  Yes, we have this all planned out and I don’t doubt anything that may or may not happen.  But, what if, in the future, I somehow get separated from you guys.  What if I change enough you don’t know me, or recognize me if I disappear.  With that burn mark, no matter how my hair or my face or my body matures or ages, you’ll know it’s me.”  She looked down at the piece of metal.  

 

“I just want you guys to remember me and I want to remember the people who opened my eyes.  That’s all.  I don’t want to do this for any other reason.”  The members all looked at each other.  They didn’t enjoy the thought of her going through all that pain just for something like that, but if she really wanted this to happen, they didn’t have the heart to tell her no.  Wonho included.  

 

“Jin,” he moved to cup her cheek, lifting her head to place his forehead on hers, “if you really want to do it.  We will.”  She smiled up to him.  “It’s going to hurt like a bitch though.”  She nodded.  

 

“I know.  I think I can handle it.”  He took a breath and backed away from her.  Then, she went and sat on the ground, leaning against the wall.  The others followed suit.  They would all have something to do in this process.  

 

Shownu took a piece of their old clothing, wrapping it in layers tightly around his hand.  He would be holding the metal piece he took from Jin as it was being heated.  Both Hyungwon and I.M. would be holding the lightly just beneath the metal, heating it.  Minhyuk and Kihyun would be holding down Jin’s arm so she didn’t reflexively pull away. Jooheon prepared a small tub of cold water with a cloth floating in it to be placed around the brand once it was lifted and finally, Wonho would be holding onto her hand with one of his, while his other arm would be by her mouth.  

 

“Put the fabric of Wonho’s sleeve in your mouth, between your teeth.  It’s going to hurt, so just bit down really hard, plus if you scream, it’ll muffle it.”  She nodded at Hyungwon’s advice as Wonho lifted his arm and Jin placed some of the loose fabric in her mouth.  Wonho could feel the humid breath that came from her mouth and nose on his arm as she was already holding onto his other hand tightly.  

 

The metal was being heated and just was it was starting to glow a bright red, Kihyun and Minhyuk lowered the girl to lay down so they could pen her arm to the ground.  She closed her eyes, watching only as Shownu mover to get closer to her.  

 

“Alright.  On three.”  Shownu spoke, Jin could feel the hit and smell the burning metal.  “One.”  The boys all lowered their lighters and the metal closer to her hand.  “Two.”  She could feel the anxious feeling in her gut as she was already bit harshly on the sleeve of Wonho and he held her hand, laying next to her and whisper to her to calm her down.  “Three.”  The lighters were quickly removed and soon the heated metal was lowered onto the top of her hand.  

 

The girl’s eyes flew open as she immediately let tears form and burst from her eyes.  She kicked her legs as she screamed, cried and whimpered through her clenched teeth holding the white sleeve in her mouth.  Her chest heaved as the two boys pinned her arm put all their weight into making sure she wouldn’t move.  Wonho placed one of his legs on her lower body to hopefully keep her squirming down as Jooheon, went and grabbed a cloth that was soaking in a tub of cold water they prepared beforehand.  

 

“Alright, get the cloth over here!”  Shownu shouted over the loud, shrill noises of their friend they just inflicted a horrendous amount of pain on.  The tub over and just as Shownu lifted the metal to reveal a blistered, red, lifted skin ‘X’ on her hand, she instinctively lifted it up, giving Jooheon the chance to wrap the cold cloth around her hand. He tied it in her palm as she gripping the knot.  

 

Her arm was still held down until she was calmed a bit so she wouldn’t do anything drastic and Wonho still held her hand as tightly as she was holding his.  His hand did hurt, but he pushed it aside for the pain she felt.  Shownu had taken the metal piece and chucked it far out of the pass as he looked at the burn fabric of his makeshift glove.  It worked well, but the smell of burning cloth isn’t very great, not to mention it was mixed with the scent of burning flesh.  

 

When Jin seemed calmer, The boys slowly released her arm and she opened her mouth, trembled a bit as Wonho lifted his sleeve away from her.  He motioned Jooheon over as he asked if he would wipe the tears from her face.  His only free hand had her saliva on it, so he didn’t think wiping her face with it would be very affectionate.  

 

After a few more minutes of Jooheon continuously wiping her tears away and they all gathering around her, telling her she did well and that they were sorry that they had to do it, or how she was strong and brave, she calmed down enough to sit up.  Wonho sat up first, still laying next to her, taking his leg off her body and pulling her up, Jooheon supporting her back as she was scooted back to lean against the wall.  

 

She was still breathing quite heavily, and her eyes were puffy, swollen and red.  The boys all smiled to her as she looked down at her hand that was wrapped up and smiled.  

 

“Thanks.”  Her voice was broken as the stinging and burning still hadn’t fully subsided.  Jooheon asked if someone would pass him his tub of water before he brought it to her hand.  He gently lifted it by her wrist and dunked it in.  It made the girl sigh in relief.  

 

“This will cool the cloth and your skin. It should help.”  She nodded.  

 

“It is.”  The boys then backed up, giving her some space as they all decided that since they’d all have a busy night, they should rest up.  They were confident no one would be looking for them, at least not until it was too late.  They each fell asleep one by one.  

 

Shownu leaned his back against the wall as Kihyun slept on one shoulder and I.M on the other.  Minhyuk had his head lay on Hyungwon’s lap as he slept against the wall, Minhyuk on the ground.  Jooheon was sprawled out on the ground, not too far from Jin.  Jin herself was leaning on Wonho’s chest, as he moved himself to sit behind her, leaning against the wall.  

 

Wonho rested his head on her own, his arms wrapped around her waist, one hand still holding her other one.  She slept with her hand in the tub of cold water that definitely turned her fingers into pruney messes, but that had was already fucked up, so what’s the big deal with pruned fingers.  

 

They all slept soundly.  They knew they all needed.  Soon, their night began.  

* * *

 

_Everything was blurred figures in the fog. They ran, under lumber, through mud, around trees. Breathing in smoke, the chilled air of the lack of sunlight, and the white pieces of debris and ash that floated against them, drifting in the wind. It stuck to their hair strands and to the sweat that rolled down their cheeks._

 

_Running. They had to keep running. If they didn't, they were at risk of being caught, being separated, or even being killed. Injuries to their bodies, scratched on their foreheads, split lips, swollen eyes, bruised noses stung as a reminder to keep running. The stinging of the wounds also reminded them of the anxiety of their escape; their constant need to turn back and make sure no one was following them._

 

_Their constant fear and hyper-focused minds caused them all to separate. A group of two young men, the youngest and the one who recently ditched crutches to use his own pair of legs. A group of four, the oldest men, the charismatic boy and the recognizable only woman._

 

_Siren's rang in the air as thunder rumbled. The small flashes of lightning shimmering in the smog and the thunder rolling like barrel drums. The groups met at an underpass where the last remaining two were held under._

 

_The white haired boy moved and the unconscious head of the taller one, calling out to him over the sirens and the sounds of violent approaching nature. The conscious one merely stayed that way, until the boy desperate to wake him, hinged his mouth and gently placed a small, blue flower onto his tongue._

 

_The mouth closed around the planet and as the group all gathered as one again, the boy's eyes slid open._

* * *

 

They all pulled Hyungwon from his state and began to move again.  They all had injuries to their bodies as they disappeared into the forest right outside their former town.  The town now in ruins.  

 

As they broke through the trees and ran through the forest to come into a clearing, they all looked around.  It was silent save from their heavy breathing.  Then, something else came into their ears.  A sound of a constant thumping, almost like a heartbeat.  Jin was the one who saw it first.  She tugged at the sleeve of Wonho, who had her at his hip, and pointed up towards the sky.  

 

The group of 7 boys all looked and saw the one things their minds couldn’t comprehend.  A white heart, pulsed above the trees with the pulsing and blood of a bright blue.  Almost like their nectar from their savior flower.  It was obviously a mass hallucination, because to others they wouldn’t be able to see the heart.  As they all stepped towards it, ready to see where it might take them, the sound of bullets echoed in their ears.

 

“Dammit!” Shownu shouted.  “We need to separate.  Scatter and move!” No one wanted to, but as the silhouettes of the military closed in, they all knew they had to.  They no longer had any other choice. They all ran.  

 

I.M. ran off first, bolting past trees.  Then, one by one, they all vanished.  Jooheon, Shownu, Kihyun, but as Wonho watched as Minhyuk and Hyungwon get captured by the men and restrained, he felt Jin get ripped away from him.  She was held by the arm by a man clad in black.  He wanted to rip the man damn limb off but she only screamed at him to get away from her.  

 

“I have the ‘X’!  I’ll be fine.  I swear to god, get out of here!  Move it!”  She screamed at him over the sound of guns and explosives.  The sounds of thundering footsteps and the sound of the screaming nature threatening further with a storm.  

 

Wonho only looked at her with heavy, sorrowful eyes as he bounced backwards before forcing his way through the men and the trees, running.  Leaving Jin, Minhyuk and Hyungwon behind.

 

The 5 that got away could only hope that they others they didn’t know the fate of were safe.  None of them knew of the three that were captured, no one but Wonho.  However, once he ran enough and hid himself in a run down, abandoned workhouse, he decided.  

 

He’d get them back.


	4. Part II - Guilty

_ It had been 4 months.   _

 

_ Each month passing ever so slowly for each of the members of The Clan.  Some hiding with no reason to leave the safety of their temporary homes.  Others seeking out their fellow members and gather as one again.  With the gathering of each member, one by one, a group of 4 was brought together.  Grabbing that 5 member from an underground fighting league, they busted their way into a medical facility.   _

 

_ The rescue mission to retrieve those last 3 members was underway.   _

 

_ The mastermind of finding everyone’s location and hunting them down infiltrated the facility as a doctor, gathering information on the remaining 3.  After he got what he needed, he went back.  He called on the members he had found as they all gathered in a warehouse, ready to use a machine made to convert the metaled down petals of a blue flower into an edible substance.   _

 

_ Now, it was time for him to come back to that place.  He charged in, 4 people at his back as he ran in.  He began to shut off machines that kept his friends in a constant sleep, grabbing a small blue bear from his pocket and placing it on the dazed tongue of the boys.  Meanwhile, down a separate hall, 2 boys ran and busted into an isolated room where a single girl was held.   _

 

_ Waking her up and removing all of her restraints, she too was brought up with a small blue food placed insider her mouth, making her sense burst.  With the girl and the 2 boys in a different room, not coming to, they were pulled from their prisons as they all began to run.  _

 

_ They ran in small groups only to reunite for a moment.  They smiled and hugged each other before they all laughed and began to run as one.  They turned a corner, all running down a long hall leading to a set of doors.  The doors out of there.  With smiles and triumph, they’d bust through those doors and claim their victory.   _

 

_ Or will they?  _

* * *

 

Its been a 12 days since the boys escaped their town and ran off into separate directions, not bothering to look back and wonder where the others ran to.  Somewhere underground and hidden away from the public, only those involved in the dark and secret matters of the public knew about the fighting league that went down.  The illegal activity was well hidden and if they were to someone catch wind that perhaps they’d be caught, they’d hide themselves and disperse, only to come back in a few days time acting like they just got there.  

 

In this particular league, a built man took part in the fighting.  A stained white tank top, navy sweats and a jacket wrapped around his waist, he’d spend his time training.  Locked up in a small cell like room with concrete walls.  He’d punch at the walls, jabbing in reps as his knuckles would tear and shed small droplets of blood.  He always took deep breaths before a match, or when he’d hear the loud creaking of the door he stood behind unlock and open.  

 

That man was Shownu.  

 

The oldest of the group of boys wound up getting himself caught into the illegal activity by starting a fight with a group of punks who decided to target the man with stains on his white combat get up.  They decided to try and fuck with the wrong person.  He picked them off one by one before he was restrained by a blow to the back of his neck from behind.  His already hazy mind was blurred even more as the smirk that bore down at him and the voice meddled into a puddle of disgusting sounds that reverberated in his head.  

 

With his consciousness back then fading in and out, he didn’t know who had him or where they were taking him.  What little he could pick out was them striping him of his vests and his equipment leaving him only in a white tank.  He could feel the tugging of a pair of sweats before he was thrust into a room and a jacket thrown on him before the thud of the door echoed.  

 

Shownu was so discombobulated all he could do was lay on the ground where he was thrown and sleep.  When he finally woke up and was able to process the scattered memories of the previous night, he decided to just sit patiently and wait.  Who ever brought him here, would obviously be back and then he’d figure out where he was and why.  

 

The situation he found himself in was something he didn’t react to at all.  It didn’t strike him as a shock, nor did he react too dimly to it.  He was just accepting of it.  He had no home, no family and he didn’t know where the rest of his friends ran to or if they even got away.  So, with a lukewarm expression and built body, he became a fighter.  

 

Throwing punches and extending his legs with power and force towards another person became his life as he did so without a thought.  He just let the days pass, but let’s not get ahead of ourselves.  

 

Shownu was only 1 out of 8 bodies who were running from the Korean military.  He was 1 of 5 that got away.  4 others ran off in directions to locations unknown.  One to an abandoned warehouse, one to a ruin down school long since empty of any life, one left to wander the streets in secret as he picked off people who he knew would cause him harm and one who found a building site left in ruin. The other remaining 3 were unfortunate enough to be dragged back to a medical base under constant surveillance.  

 

Minhyuk, Hyungwon and Jin.  While all three were under watch, Minhyuk and Hyungwon were kept in the same bland, white room with only a couple of monitor attached to them.  They were constantly kept under as they slept.  They’d only wake for a moment before their eyes lidded and their bodies seemed to relax while their arms and torso were wrapped in straight jackets. The heart monitors strapped to them would fluctuate from time to time, almost enough to cross over each other and create an ‘x’ with the intersecting lines of life. 

 

Jin, however, was in her own medical room where she put up more of a fight.  She fought back against the men who tried to restrain her, earning her shackles latching onto her ankles as well as a straight jacket and even a silencing helmet that had enough room in the back of it for her hair to be tucked up inside.  She seemed like a walking, thrashing robot or mimicked that of an animal that wouldn’t take being a pet as an option.  She wasn’t even given a proper medical table and machinery around her, so every 5 hours when she’d start to stir from her sleep, someone would always come and inject a serum into her neck, keeping her tamed.  

 

However, this isn’t where a second part of a story should start.  So, let’s start from square one. The night everything stemmed from.  

 

Lee Jooheon.  One of the members who managed to get away.  He ran off into random direction.  Running a straight path before abruptly stopping, looking around and beelining in a completely random direction before doing it all again.  He had changed direction and ran so much the adrenaline began to wear thin. 

 

He found himself stumbling and nearly crawling onto the rusted floors of a metal structure.  Weeds peeked through small cracks in the ground as he lifted his head, out of breath and looked around.  Large pillars, support beams and spots with no walls or ceiling surrounded Jooheon.  The space was large and seemed to have a variety of different rooms or areas, developed or not.  

 

The age of the site was told in the vines that wrapped around the beams and crawled up the walls.  The weeds and flowers growing from the cracks under his body and the rust from the exposure of nature. The scent of metal, must, and nature wafted in the space, but all he could focus on was if the footsteps were chasing him.  

 

He managed to pull himself to hide himself in a small dark corner behind a wall.  He placed his back against it, his hand on his chest as he huffed and felt his pulse rampage through his body as his head pounded.  He didn’t think he’d ever been this still, this silent or this anxious in his life for so long before.  

 

Jooheon kept expecting the worst.  He kept waiting for those thunderous boots to thud against the ground.  He kept waiting to hear the shifting of their clothes and the metallic clanking of their guns.  He kept waiting for their loud, robotic voices calling out commands, but they never came.  He waited there until the sun began to rise and the dark sky began to shift into a rainbow of colors before soon fading into a singular blue hue.  

 

He’d made it out.  Once the truth of the matter came to him and he knew where he was the safest place he could be at the moment, he finally let the fatigue take over as he lowered his eyes, slumped against the same wall he’d been at for hours already.  He needed his rest.  

 

He woke up only a few hours later.  Not nearly enough time for his liking, but the restlessness in his gut and the worry he held for his fellow friends ate at him.  He didn’t know where anyone was, he had no idea and he had no chance in hell in finding out any time soon.  

 

Jooheon dazedly looking around in the corner he had taken a liking to so much as he tried to rationalize his situation; as well as how to deal with it. Thinking on it for a moment, him taking a look around the area he stumbled into would be a pretty decent start.  

 

He picked his dirt covered, white clad body off the ground, using his arms to push off the wall behind him.  His legs felt numb for sitting on the ground the way he did uncomfortably for so long.  He used the wall to move for a bit as the blood rushed into his legs, getting the uncomfortable tingling that turned into sharp pins until they started to slowly revert back to how they were feel if he didn’t sit on the hard ground for hours.  

 

It wasn’t hard to figure he was in some long abandoned worksite that didn’t work out or people didn’t feel was important enough to finish.  He couldn’t tell what the building was going to be by just the random walls, ceilings and pillars in random places, but it was going to be a decent sized place at one point. There were a few rooms that were completely closed off and the deeper into the building structure one went, the more closed it got.  

 

More and more walls were up and the ceiling were definitely dependable.  Even the beam that supported the nearly finished rooms were strong, a few strong kicks from Jooheon tested that.  There were also 3 floors.  Heading up a staircase he found, the second story was much more open than the first.  There were less individual rooms and it was more like a big area for people to gather in.  Heading up one floor further, it was all open.  No walls were up and there was no ceiling. 

 

Safe to say that the construction stopped here, or at least the big important stuff did before it stopped completely. There were only a few beams planted into the ground, but they just stood, vines on them, or slightly rusted as they had no purpose.  

 

He wandered over to one beam particular that was setting barely a foot from the edge of the open floor.  Wrapping his hand around it, his grip slid as his arm bent and he linked his elbow around the metal.  He slung his body to lean over the story and look down at the ground probably 40 feet down.  It didn’t feel high to him, but if almost chuckled thinking about what Wonho’s reaction would be if he were here.  

 

He sighed as he he looked up and was met with barely being able to look over the tops of trees.  That’s all he saw though.  Trees.  If he looked hard enough he could see tall building off in the distance, a city or town that seemed to be a few hours away by foot.  

 

Swinging himself around the beam to be placed evenly back on the platform he walked around before standing in the center of it and placing his hands on his hips.  He swiveled his head on his neck, looking around and huffed.  

 

“It’ll have to work.”  He spoke to himself as he made the decision that he liked this place enough to make his his home for a while.  Course, the place needed a ton of work, but he’d already known that no matter where he ended up, work was a given.  He considered himself lucky he found a place this big and secluded to work with in the first place.  He only hoped his friends got something they could work with as well.  

 

“Let’s get it!”  He moved his hands from his hips as he brought them in front of himself and clapped them together, rubbing them a bit as he turned and, with a hop in his step, went down the two staircases to explore the bottom floor a bit more.  

 

Empty room, smaller empty room, larger empty room, room with a dusty old metal fold up chair, room with a table, these were just the recurrence Jooheon came across with this building.  He started snooping around almost excited to see what could have been left behind or what he could find to use to his advantage, but now it was just tedious and pretty lame.  That is until he found one room. 

 

A single room with a door with a single small square window in it.  The glass was so dusty and mucked with moss that he didn’t dare try to clear it to see inside.  Grabbed the doorknob he felt the metal resist against his movement in turning it as it hadn’t been opened in god knows how long, but soon the sound of the clicking and the jolt the door gave when it unlatched made him grin with a small click of his tongue in triumph.  

 

Jooheon rather boringly pulled the door open, the door opening towards him in an outward motion as the boy moved his body to roll into the room, his shoulder entering first.  Once his head peaked through the door, following the rolling motion of his torso, he stood in the open doorway, looking around at the new interior.  Instead of a single rusty chair, or a rotted table or a torn cloth, there were three long wooden pallets resting on the floor in a fashion that almost surprised the boy with how neat it was.  

 

Stepping inside, he walked to the pallet in front of the doorway, the center on and carefully raised his foot onto it.  He slowly began to lift himself onto the pallet, letting his weight put pressure down bit by bit, waiting for the wood to give it.  However, by just looking the wood, them seemed to be far from rotted.  Maybe the door was covered and blocked enough by dust, or whatever, it kept the things inside from decaying as quickly as anything outside the room.  

 

Now standing on the end of the pallet, he cautiously took step after step, moving from one pallet to another with little hops here and there to ensure stability.  After he had been convinced they were sturdy, he even began to pace on them.  His movements more confident and less cautious now.  

 

Jooheon plopped himself down to sit on the center pallet as he crossed his legs and thought.  He had three wooden pallets, a few dust clothes with holes in them, a layer or two of clothing, some rusty chairs, worn tables and some crappy scrap metal in a room in piles as well as a strangely large amount of pretty well maintained pots set off in a small room probably intended to be a cupboard.  

 

As he sat with his legs crossed, he became annoyed that he had no idea on what to do with anything he had available to him yet.  He bounced his leg as he rested his elbow on it, but with the bouncing of his leg, he heard a sound that resembled liquid sloshing around. 

 

Furrowing his brows, he stopped his leg, and within a few seconds the sloshing stopped with it.  He bounced his leg and waiting to see if he’d hear it again, and again he did hear the noise.  He twitched his head as he looked at his leg and then straightened them out and patted the sides of his pants.  He felt something in his pocket, and was only confused for a moment before he remembered he had something.  

 

He dug into the pocket, nearly straightening his entire body to dig into it and pull out that small bottle with that blue nectar.  The bottle was just the size to sit in his palm, but it was full as can be with the nectar.  Along with he had a stem and a the petals that were once on it in the opposite pocket.  They were crumbled and even a bit torn, but they might just work.  An idea sparked in his head.  A starting point so to speak.  

 

First things first however, he needed to figure out how he’d actually try and get some decent rest when night fell.  He still felt exhausted both from his running and hiding as well as the little rest he got earlier. He couldn’t let the fate of his friends linger negatively on his mind.  He knew his friends, and he knew they were all very clever.  They’d find places to go, places to hide, to live.  They’d know how to connect with others if need be and if it was safe.  They’d find how to survive.  

 

Jooheon’s job, from that moment he decided, was to find them.  

 

He had a million thoughts running in his head, zooming around without stop.  He hopped up and walked to the end of the pallet towards the door to hop off it as he bent down and lifted it slightly.  He tested to see if it would be easy to move, how heavy it was, or if it would just disintegrate by moving it. Luckily, with the few test pulls and lifting it up and down, it seemed good enough to drag. 

 

Wiggling and pull on the pallet, he managed to pull it out slightly and turn it on it’s side, taking a small breather as it now acted like a movable wall. He moved his neck around a bit, sniffed and moved his arms before he took the pallet and began to drag it out of the room. 

 

Jooheon had moved the pallet to that corner he had stayed in earlier.  Having hid and slept briefly in that corner already, it’d be the best place to make a makeshift area of semi-comfort.  He placed the pallet snugly along the walls and fit it into the corner as if it belonged there to begin with.  With that done, he’d grab the torn cloth he could find laying around and he’d have something to lay on, albeit, not very comfortable.  He’d work with it along the course of his stay naturally.  

 

With a plan in mind for his sleeping habits, he decided to wait until later to really fix it up.  He’d probably use the layers of clothing to his advantage somehow as well. So, off to the small room with pallets on the right and left walls, he trotted.  He then left the room and went to where he found the insane amount of dead potted plants or just empty ones and took them, two or three at a time, outside.  

 

Jooheon took and separated all of them first; putting the ones with old soil and dead stems in on area outside the room and took all the empty ones and kept them inside the room.  When they were organized in an easily accessible fashion, he began to take the ones with dirt in them out where he was standing on nature again and empty them before replacing the old soil with new soil that he dug at and scooped up.  He’d empty, fill and return the pots in couple or trios and place them in the room with the pallets, making line after line of soil filled pots.  

 

The process was a long one, one that also made his back scream at him.  His hands were coated in dirt, as well as the majority of his pants from the knees up.  He had rolled his white sleeves of his long shirt up, even eventually removed the shirt entirely and tied it around his waist because of the work was making him break a sweat.  

 

He stopped when one of the pallets was completely filled with pots.  He made sure he could walk on the pallets and there was enough space between each pot that he could walk.  Now, he had to be resourceful with the small amount of substance he had with him flower wise. He started from the front.  He’d take one petal and bury it into the soil before covering it again.  He did this with each petal and even buried the stems just to use all he could.  With only the plant, he covered 9 pots.  Now, it was time to see what the nectar would produce.  

 

He knew there was something special about their flowers and he was hell bent on making sure his plans worked. He revisited the same 9 pots that he had worked with and in each one, he dropped the smallest amount of nectar into the soil, right over where a petal of stem was, watching the soil darken slightly as the liquid stained it and was absorbed.  He didn’t use anymore of it than he had to.  He was going to test something, give a drop of nectar to the plant each day.  

 

Whether this would result in something, Jooheon didn’t know, but all he knew that if it worked or not, he’s at least trying.  Now, he had to move on and keep working.  He kept the empty pots in the room where they were and shut the door, leaving them for tomorrow.  Time seemed to pass by not as slowly as he thought it would with nothing around him, but he was hungry.  

 

He still had his gun with him, and he wasn’t out of bullets yet.  When the time was right, he’d go out and scope the area.  He’d find something to shoot and eat.  He knows his way around what and what isn’t edible so he’d go look around for mushrooms or berries, or something.  There was a few small lanterns so he could use that to burn anything needed to and to supply a small portion of heat if he sat it in a room.  

 

He had a plan, even if it was small and in shambles, he’s Jooheon.  He’ll make it come together.  

 

The days passed like they were all the same day stuck on repeat for Jooheon.  He’d kick off his boots when he wanted to rest, he’d use his vest and roll it up for a shitty pillow, he’d use the torn cloth he found around to the best of his ability and always complain to no one when he woke up stiff as all hell.  However, the only thing changing was his little garden.  The flowers started to bloom.  

 

Honestly, he was entirely shocked to see that the second day after he planted those 9 petals, they had already pushed through the soil and were strong, small stems.  Day after day they grew and more and more buds appeared and started blooming.  He’d constantly thank the god he never believed in as he could now create more nectar by melting down petals and refilling his small bottle, as well as he could easily continue to plant more.  

 

By the time a week and a half had passed, the entire room was filled with small scaled blue plants.  Jooheon was looking a little more than rough, but he felt over the moon.  He had substance, he knew how to life for the most part here.  Now, he was ready to tackle the second problem, rather the most important problem.  

 

Where the fuck was everyone else?

 

As the days continued to pass, Jooheon found himself traveling into the city when night fell as he rested during the day as much as possible.  It’d be easier for him to move in a busy place at night, there was a chance someone would recognize him even if that chance was slim, he wasn't willing to take it. Jooheon was a person who was able to get around, no matter where he was.  His charisma was off the charts, so when it came to gathering information, he could do it in the most hidden of ways, or he could chat up someone who he figured had power and just coax it out of them.  

 

Jooheon hadn’t found as much information as he wanted to, however he was able to get around easily; he even managed to make a few strong connections with people, whether he did it with his fists or his voice.  Managing to get maps, images, word of or about his fellow members, he started making more and more connections as the information came to pass.  The only real name he came across rather frequently was that of a man who had suddenly appeared in a fighting league not too far from the cities location, Shownu.  

 

He knew couldn’t go to him yet.  He had to do this in a strategic order.  He had to think about who to find, how to find them and when.  He didn’t really know who to find first, or who would be the easiest to locate, but that all managed to fall in place when he was out one night.  

 

Jooheon had just left the city, it was nearly 3 am, and the information had already rolled in for the night.  He began back to the building site he called his temporary home when he decided to go a little looking around.  He hadn’t really explored the forested area around his abode, and really doing it in the dead night wasn’t very bright, but he always felt calmer exploring in the darkness. 

 

He made sure to leave trails for himself so he wouldn’t get horribly lost.  He would snap a tree branch, or peel some bark, mark in the soil, or remember a certain flower as well as trying his best to remember when he turned, in what direction and how many steps between them he took.  He wasn’t sure how far he’d come out, but he soon noticed how the trees started to become further and further apart.  

 

It wasn’t long before the tree line receded and started to reveal a building. It was a warehouse, decent in size, not overly large, but small enough to be concealed in the darkness.  The windows in the side of the building were covered by cloth or tarp, but he could see the outlines of objects as well as light through them.  He had no idea on who was here, or why, but something told his guy to go check it out. 

 

He was tempted to ignore his guy feeling of further exploration, but just as he almost convinced himself to go and turn back, he watched as a shadow of a person walked in front of the window.  They seemed to walk and pick something up, messing with their head before turning and moving back out of the frame.  With that, Jooheon pushed aside any thoughts of running off.  He was definitely going to check it out now.  

 

With quick, delicate steps, Jooheon moved closer to the building.  If anything, he could fake himself as an animal running by and hide in the shadows, his activities in the city gave him a bit more of a range in clothing, stolen or not. He tried his best to just observe from the windows, hiding and peeking in through tiny holes or slits in the curtains or tarp, but that yielded little to no results.  

 

So, after trying and failing at peking, he crept around the perimeter of the building, memorizing where the best escape into the trees would be just in case things took a pretty ugly turn. Locating a couple different ways inside, he pushed open a single door in the back, as opposed to taking the main double door in the front, and of course the giant garage like door was way out of question.  Jooheon eased the door open, making sure to be precise and if the door started to squeak, he’d stop for a moment, only moving it a millimeter a second.  

 

After managing to crack the door metal door open just enough to slip inside, he left it open, again just in case.  He kept against the wall, trying to keep as much of himself concealed as he could as he looked around.  The space seemed larger inside the building than the outside made it look.  There were machines for welding as well as for woodworking of all kinds scattered around in various locations.  Piles of lumber and scrap metal were pushed into piles and over in a far corner Jooheon thought he’d seen a cot propped up for someone to sleep on.  

 

He was beginning to question where the person whose outline he saw was, but that thought was quickly dismissed as he noticed a figure of someone move out from behind a machine and move over towards a work table. They seemed to unroll something, but Jooheon couldn’t tell what it was.  

 

The person themselves was male, as he had his shirt removed.  He wore tan pants that covered his legs and hung on his waist.  His hair was bleached, and seemed to have blue tips.  Jooheon suspected he wore goggles on his face, as there was a strap around his head, pressing his hair down. The mystery man huffed as he pulled a metal folded chair over to himself and threw himself down onto it, leaning his head back.

 

Jooheon didn’t think he was a threat, but he wasn’t 100% sure of anything, being the skeptic he is.  He had planned to just leave now, and return when it’s light out, maybe be a bit civil and act as someone who just happened to find the warehouse as he was lost, but nothing ever goes as planned, does it.

 

The sitting man moved to push his goggled up to rest on the crown of his head, just as Jooheon tried to move to get back out the door he slipping inside with, but as he turned the side of his heel just briefly connected with a rolling cart.  The cart rolled, hardly 5 inches, but the loud squeaking of the wheels was enough to get the attention of the man in the silent warehouse.  Jooheon cursed under his breath as he looked over to see if the man had seen him, but only found that his form that previously sat in the chair, was gone.  

 

At this point, Jooheon was content to just book it the hell out of there, and he was ready to, but someone grabbing his shoulder stopped him.  His shoulder was harshly gripped and yanked back before he was basically thrown out into the open.  He stumbled as he watched the man from before rush at him, his arms in front of him, ready to grab him.  Jooheon let a small yell come from his throat as he moved just in time to avoid the man, who in turn almost immediately halted his movement and turned to Jooheon, ready to try again.  

 

This time, when the man lunged, he successfully grabbed Jooheon and pinned him to the ground on his chest.  The man pulled Jooheon’s arms behind him as he sat on his back, trying to restrain the man’s movements.  

 

“Who the hell are you?  Where’d you come from?!”  The man above Jooheon hissed as his tone was lowered.  The grip on Jooheon’s arms was stronger, stronger than he was himself and almost seemed familiar. Jooheon felt his chest push down onto the concrete floors, lifting and making his body shake slightly, the weight of the man holding him down making breathing difficult.  

 

“Just get off me.  I’m not a threat.”  He winced as the grip on his arms tightened further and his arms were pulled further back.  He lifted his head, turning it to the side, trying once again to convince the attacker get off his back.  He opened his mouth to talk again, but the grip on him loosened almost immediately then released as the weight of his back was gone.  

 

Jooheon wasted no time in pulled his arms back to his chest and pushing to roll over onto his back, taking shaky breaths and huffing.  After a moment of collecting himself, he pushed himself to sit and looked at the man standing a few feet away.  

 

Their goggles were still over their eyes, hiding their identity as their bleached, blue tipped hair was disheveled from the scrap. Their chest also heaved as they regained their rushed breath and their torso shone with a very faint glow of sweat that began to show itself do to the sudden and harsh actions he just took.  

 

Jooheon shook his wrists around as he rubbed them. There were faint red finger marks from where he was held so tightly.  He also brushed off the front of his shirt that collected dust and dirt from the floor before running a hand through his hair. 

 

“Jesus....” He huffed as he tilted his head to give a side glance at the man who stood up.  He rolled his neck before the man finally spoke back. 

 

“Jooheon?”  The man on the floor seemed to stop complaining and rolling around his body joints and snapped his attention to the man.  He narrowed his eyes, not knowing if he knew him or if he was a threat to him.  The man seemed to catch onto his worry and quickly grabbed his goggled, pulling them up and over the crown of his head before pulling them completely off.  

 

His tinted bangs lifted as the goggles did and fell back down, brushing his brows once the goggles were off and tossed onto the work table.  Jooheon’s jaw went slack as he saw the familiar face.  He sure had changed his look in such a short time, but that’s what you need to do sometimes when you're in hiding in a random location. 

 

“Nice hair, Wonho.”  The man Jooheon stumbled upon by pure accident, the man who just tackled him to the ground and restrained him just minutes ago was none other than Wonho.  

 

The once blonde man with loose fitting clothes, living in a run down town with Jooheon, was now a bleach haired boy with blue tips in his hair and was currently shirtless and living in a warehouse. Wonho rolled his eyes at Jooheon’s remark about his hair of all things. 

 

“Really, that’s the first thing you say to me?”  Jooheon scoffed. 

 

“I should be saying that to you.  You damn near rip off my arms and tackle me and I don’t even get an ‘I’m sorry’?”  Wonho rolled his eyes once more before offering his hand to the man, still located on the ground. 

 

“I don’t need to apologize for having my guard up.  You’re the one at fault for breaking into my space anyways.”  

 

“Touche.”  He smirked as he grabbed the offered hand and Wonho pulled him up.  They still kept their hands connected as they offered each other a friendly greeting and wrapped their empty arms around each other's shoulder for a moment, offering a pat on the back and then disconnecting again.  

 

“That’s one down.”  Wonho lifted his brow at Jooheon’s statement.

 

“What?” 

 

“One down.”

 

“No, I heard what you said, but it’d be great if you’d elaborate.” 

 

“I’m looking for the rest of the members. You’re the first person I found.”  Wonho opened his mouth slightly in understanding and nodded.  He also wondered where everyone else ran off to, but then his mind remembered that not everyone got away. 

 

“Well, I can tell you that it’ll be harder to find Minhyuk, Hyungwon and Jin.”  Wonho sighed as he ran his hand through his hair, remembering what it looked like as the were caught, dragged away and ripped from freedom. 

 

“Why not?” 

 

“They didn’t get away.  The military got them at the last second and they were taken away.”  Jooheon moved his head as his tongue poked at the inside of his cheek.  His eyes rolled as he seemed to pace, now exceedingly annoyed.  

 

“We’ll have to work around that,” he muttered to himself.  “I’ll put in my mind, but for now, we can’t be focused on them.”  Wonho looked at Jooheon as he spoke.  The pacing man stopped and looked at Wonho.  “Help me find the others.” 

 

“Glad to, but not like I can do much.  If anything is mentioned about any one of our members, I get so agitated I can’t focus.”

 

“Probably more so if Jin is mentioned.”

 

“Hey!”  Wonho seethed in warning about talking about Jin.  Jooheon raised his hands in surrender. 

 

“Sorry, sorry,” he cleared his throat before he looked around the warehouse. He was out in the open now, no need to hide so he could clearly scope out the place. “You find this place all decked out?”  Wonho looked around as well, gazing at the machinery and supplies. 

 

“For the most part.  All the machines were here and the majority of the lumber and metal, I just took what I could find around outside and brought it back as well.”  He pointed to the back of the room, motioning to a large refrigerator.  “Even got lucky with that being here and being able to function.  Course the food inside it I just happened to snag.”  Jooheon nodded as he was impressed.  The boy was living better than he was, that for sure. 

 

“Not bad.”  Something in him seemed to be putting itself together. Thinking about the flowers he has back at his site, and about all the machines Wonho has here.  The liquid he was able to make and store, the plants he was able to grow, the experience Wonho had, it was all piecing together into a plan that ran rampant in the younger man’s head.  

 

“Let’s make a machine.” Wonho was slightly surprised at the sudden outburst the friend he just reunited with.  

 

“A what?” 

 

“A machine.”  He started gesturing with his hands, speaking in an excited tone, explaining the puzzles in his head, the plans, the ideas.  “I have this garden,” he started by explaining the blue flower garden he has grown.  He explained where he was living at, how he was looking for everyone, how he knew that Shownu was involved in an underground, illegal, fighting league.  His plans to find everyone and bring them together, but now that he’s found an ally by finding Wonho, he could make the operation better. 

 

“If we create a machine, we can fuel it with the nectar.  We can create something to help us, bring everyone back and free Jin, Minhyuk and Hyungwon.”  He reached into his pocket and pulled out an empty bottle, previous filled with blue liquid.  “You know this nectar helps, and I know you haven’t had it and neither has anyone else.”  

 

Wonho nodded to his friend.  He understood what he was talking about.  That flower was like a prescription they all needed to move forward.  He started feeling an immense feeling of heavy agitation as soon as he was away and no longer had access to any form of the plant. If the others were the same as him, they were probably trying to distract themselves with anything to get their mind off of it, just like he was.  But, the 3 being held couldn’t even do that, who knows what they were going through. 

 

“If we plan to get everyone back,” Jooheon started again, “including the 3 of our friends who are being held captive, we’re going to need that machine.  We’re going to need our flowers.”  Wonho swallowed, his adam’s apple bobbing as he nodded again, and held his hand on the air towards Jooheon.  Jooheon then only smiled at the smirk Wonho gave him and met his hand. 

 

“Let’s get to work then.”  

**Author's Note:**

> SORRY FOR ANY GRAMMATICAL ERRORS. I'M TRYING TO GET BETTER.


End file.
